Assembly condemns terrorist attack

By Our Special Correspondent

HYDERABAD, SEPT. 13. The Assembly, which began its monsoon session on Thursday, adopted a resolution condemning the terrorist attack on the United States and grieving the death of the large number of innocent people.

The motion was piloted by the Leader of the House and the Chief Minister, Mr. N. Chandrababu Naidu, before the listed business of the day -- a motion condoling the death of Anne Babu Rao, TDP member who had represented Vuyyur, was adopted by the House.

The Government took the sudden decision in the morning and the Chief Minister informed the Speaker and floor leaders of different parties about the proposed resolution at the breakfast hosted by the Speaker, Mrs. K. Prathibha Bharati. The resolution was drafted minutes before the House met at 9.30 a.m.

Mr. Chandrababu Naidu dwelt at length on the attack on WTC towers, the Pentagon, the monumental loss of life and property they caused and said terrorism should be condemned by one and all in one voice. He also referred to the Indian and Andhra Pradesh dimension to the tragedy.

Dr. Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy, Leader of the Opposition, agreeing with the sentiments expressed by the Chief Minister, said the attack was an act of cowardice and a shame on civilised But the MIM floor leader, Mr Asaduddin Owaisi, voiced reservations on the resolution. While strongly condemning the September 11 outrage, he wondered why similar killings of innocent people in Palestine, humiliation of Muslim women in Bosnia and related incidents did not evoke the same concern of the House.

He also questioned the propriety in taking up the motion when the same Assembly remained silent over the ``massacre'' of 30 persons at Udhampur the day Mr Clinton was in Hyderabad. He also wondered if the House was competent to take up the subject which fell within the domain of Parliament.

He said 40,000 Palestinians were killed under Israel-sponsored terrorism, 4 lakh infants died in Iraq due to disease and malnutrition and thousands of Muslim women were raped in Bosnia. ``Where was the international community then?'' he asked, referring to Mr. Naidu's call to the world community to condemn terrorism. It did not mean he was unwilling to condemn the attacks in America, he hastened to add.

Mr Asaduddin pleaded for inclusion of the Palestinian killings in the resolution. Mr Byreddy Rajasekhara Reddy (TDP), interjected, ``In that case, the deaths caused by Razakars should also be mentioned.'' Mr Asaduddin shot back saying that he never knew about the Razakars as he was born in free India and said Mr Reddy was whipping up old issues.

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