Temple attack under fire

JAMMU: Political leaders from all parties were quick to arrive at the site of the latest terrorist attack in Jammu and Kashmir and condemn the fidayeen attack at the Raghunath temple here on Monday.
Defence minister George Fernandes and his deputy Chaman Lal Gupta, chief minister Mufti Mohammed Sayeed, Congress president Sonia Gandhi, Ghulam Nabi Azad, Union minister of state for home I D Swami and National Conference chief Omar Abdullah were here on Monday.
Sonia Gandhi, accompanied by state party chief Ghulam Nabi Azad and general secretary Ambika Soni, visited the Raghunath temple and later the hospital where the injured have been admitted.
Sonia said that a wrong impression had been created that the state government had unilaterally relased the 26 militants and separatists. ‘‘They were released after clearance from a central intelligence agency,’’ she asserted.
The Congress chief reacted sharply to a question on the state government’s approach in tackling militancy, saying no one could accuse her of being soft towards militants. She added that she could never forget that two of her family members were killed by militants.
In his official statement made in the state assembly, the chief minister condemned the attack and declared that his government was ready to take any measure to stop the repeat of such incidents.
His statement also included the warning from Lashkar-e-Taiba which has claimed responsibility for the attack.
George Fernandes refused to speak to the reporters present on the spot. He reportedly wanted to avoid making any comments on the state government’s handling of the situation.