All party meet

India,” the resolution says.

While representatives of various parties reiterated their support for the security forces, it was the government’s allies the Shiv Sena and the Shiromani Akali Dal that underlined the need for more stringent action against Pakistan-based terror outfits.

According to persons aware of the developments, Shiv Sena’s Sanjay Raut cited the example of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi’s decisive action against Pakistan during the Bangladesh’s struggle for independence.

He later told reporters that his party has decided to support the government to teach a lesson to Pakistan. “We have told them (central government) that this resolution and all is good but now they should take some action,” he said and added the surgical strikes that were carried across the Line of Control after the Uri attacks, did not act as a deterrent and it was time to take stronger action against Pakistan.

SAD’S Prem Singh Chandumajra said the government must ensure that the Muslim community is not attacked in the aftermath of the attacks. He cited the example of the 1984 riots in which Sikhs across the country were attacked after Indira Gandhi’s assassination.

The SAD also raised the issue of considering the demand from residents of border areas for license to carry arms; pointing out how they can buttress the security measures.

National Conference leader Faqrooq Abdullah expressed concern over the communal clashes that have erupted in Jammu and the reports of Kashmiri students being targeted. He also criticised the government’s move to withdraw security for political leaders in Kashmir. His views were supported by CPI’S D Raja who said the attacks should not become a ground for instigating passion against Muslims and Kashmiri students. “It’s a political problem. It needs to be solved through a political process, which means engagement with all stakeholders. We are a mature nation and we should deal with this with maturity,” he said.

On the party’s absence at the meeting, PDP spokesperson Rafi Ahmad Mir said the party received the invitation late Friday evening as a result of which none of its leaders could attend the meeting.

He accused the NDA government of “deliberately” sending the invite late to avoid the PDP’S participation. “They (government) should have directly invited our party president (Mehbooba Mufti). Perhaps they did it to ensure that we don’t participate. Our policies clearly differ with those of the BJP. We are for reconciliation and may be they don’t like our stand,” he said.

Home Minister Rajnath Singh for his part said the government is determined to take its fight against terrorism to the logical conclusion. “The sacrifices of security personnel will not go in vain. The people of Jammu and Kashmir want peace and are with us, but there are some elements supporting the Pakistan-sponsored terrorist groups,” he said in his opening remarks.

He also assured Abdullah that all steps would be taken to ensure the safety of Kashmiri students.

While JDU and DMK representatives did not attend the meeting, BJD representative Pinkai Misra is learnt to have said that his party will support the security forces and any action they take; but it should be ensure that such attacks do not recur.

The attack being a fallout of intelligence failure was raised by RLSP’S Upendra Kushwaha; while NCP’ Sharad Yadav demanded to have more details about the attacks that have taken place and the casualty figures of both the armed force as well as civilians.

Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad said his party reiterated the Congress President Rahul Gandhi’s statement that the Opposition would stand with the government to end terror in the country.

“We have also decided that there are many disagreements with the government, but for the sake of our country, security of all, we will stand with the government to end terror. The government has our support,” Azad said.

He referred to the attack as one that has inflicted maximum casualty. “As per our knowledge barring wars, this is the first time that such a large number of personnel have died since 1947,” Azad said addressing the media.

On TMC’S suggestion the resol ut i o n was c hanged from “….resolve to stand with our security forces and efforts of the Central and State Govt…” to “…Today we stand united in solidarity with our security forces and defend the unity and integrity of India”.

An additional DG of the CRPF gave a brief presentation about the attack to the parliamentarian that included Congress leaders Anand Sharma and Jyotiraditya Scindia, LJP chief Ram Vilas Paswan, TMC’S Sudip Bandyopadhyay and Derek O’ Brien, AAP’S Sanjay Singh, TDP’S Ram Mohan Naidu, TRS’S Jitender Reddy, AIADMK’S A Navaneethakrishnan, RJD’S Jai Prakash Narayan Yadav and Union Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Narendra Singh Tomar.

Within hours of Thursday’s attack, New Delhi issued a strong statement that accused Pakistan of giving “full freedom” to the terror group to operate and expand its terror infrastructure to carry out attacks in India and elsewhere.

Islamabad responded with a two-line statement that said it had “always condemned heightened acts of violence” in Kashmir. Pakistan also said it will “strongly reject any insinuation by elements in the Indian government and media circles that seek to link the attack to the State of Pakistan without investigations.”

According to sources, including several journalists on board the train, it was stuck near Tundla for over an hour.

They said before the train came to a halt, its end coaches started making a rattling sound.

“There was some smell in the last four coaches which had no power. Also some smoke was noticed. Loco pilots decreased the speed for some time. I heard the officials talking about brake malfunction,” a source on the train said.

Around 8:15 am, the engineers fixed the problem and the train started moving at 10 kmph which was increased to 40 kmph after some time. Then the reporters and officials on board were transferred to another train bound for Delhi.

However, around 8:55 am the Vande Bharat express again came to a halt. After necessary repairs it started the last leg of the journey towards Delhi at a speed of over 100 kmph, officials here said.

“This disruption appears to be because of a possible cattle run over. The train was returning at night and cattle run over is a possibility at odd times,” maintained Indian Railway spokesperson Smita Vats Sharma.

CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury took to Twitter to hit out at the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government saying, “This train is the best example of the performance of Modi govt. A lot of hype and PR when the reality is a total disaster.”

Train 18 has been manufactured by the Integral Coach Factory, Chennai, and was flagged off by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on February 15.

It became India’s fastest train by hitting speeds of over 180 kmph during a trial run on a section of the Delhi-mumbai Rajdhani route.