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Indians angry and hurt as never before: Manmohan

NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said on Friday that the Mumbai terror strikes had left Indians angry and hurt as “never before” and affirmed that terrorists had used the territory of a neighbouring country for mounting the attacks.

Utilising the occasion of Russian President Dmitry Medvedev’s visit to send a message to the international community, Dr. Singh said it was “everyone’s obligation” to bring the perpetrators of the crime to book.

Asked in what way – militarily, economically or politically – India would respond to the Mumbai attacks, the Prime Minister said the government would wait for the outcome of the demarche served on Pakistan.

India expected the world community to “wake up” and recognise that terrorism “anywhere and everywhere” constituted a threat to world peace and prosperity, he said.

Ignoring queries on the time line for a response from Pakistan and that the government was being seen as soft on terror, Dr. Singh spoke in a measured tone at a joint press conference with the Russian President.

India, he said, had impressed on world leaders that the people of India “feel a sense of hurt and anger as never seen before.”

It is “obligatory for all concerned to ensure that the perpetrators of this horrible crime are brought to book and that is our message to anybody and everybody who comes here or calls up.”

Dr. Singh said, “We expect the world community to recognise that in this case, the territory of a neighbouring country was used” for committing the crime.

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