Vajpayee Terms Carnage in West India as 'Blot' on India's Image

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Sunday, March 03, 2002

Vajpayee Terms Carnage in West India as 'Blot' on India's Image

Indian Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee Saturday termed the carnage in west parts of the country in the last three days as a "blot" on India's image, which put everyone on trial.

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Indian Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee Saturday termed the carnage in west parts of the country in the last three days as a "blot" on India's image, which put everyone on trial.

In an appeal to the people over the official television channel, Doordarshan, Vajpayee said he was confident that the current frenzy would be controlled and the communal harmony restored in the west state of Gujarat.

A day after his meeting with leaders of major political parties in the country, Vajpayee said that the gruesome killings of people in Godhra, Ahmedabad and other places in Gujarat had left a "blot on the nation's image", which had damaged India's reputation before the international community.

He told the country that his government would be able to create an atmosphere of peace and harmony as it was in the past to overcome crisis.

In a joint appeal issued Friday night by Vajpayee and leaders of various political parties after a 90-minute meeting, the ruling and opposition party leaders appealed to the people of Gujarat -- to Hindus, Muslims and those belonging to other communities -- to maintain peace and communal harmony.

The appeal urged the people to isolate the perpetrators of violence and defeat their sinister designs.

"The prime minister assures the people that the central government would deal firmly and effectively with the situation in Gujarat and elsewhere in the country," the appeal added.

Recalling the appeal, Vajpayee said over the official TV channel that he was sure that people belonging to all religions would consider the plea and help the authorities to create communal harmony.

The latest reports reaching here said over 300 people had been killed in Gujarat in the wide-spread turmoil in protest against the attack on an express train last Wednesday that claimed 58 lives.

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