Denouncing as 'cowardly' and 'heartless acts' the deadly terror strikes in Mumbai, the Indian community in the US on Wednesday said it was an attack on the pluralistic fabric of India and sought strong measures to fight terrorism.
Expressing 'shock' at the attacks that claimed over 100 lives, chairman of American Indians for Democracy, Sant Singh Chatwal, said they were apparently aimed at frightening the foreign investors from going to India in general and the financial capital in particular.
Irrespective of the terror group involved, the aim, he said, was to hit the progress that the country is making and to create panic among investors.
Chatwal said Taj and Oberoi, the hotels that were attacked, were among those generally recommended to foreigners visiting India.
Calling for strong measures, he said it is time for the international community to put its act together to fight terrorism as it could happen anywhere. The Indian community, he said, is prepared to do whatever is required of it to stop terrorism.
Strongly condemning the 'heartless acts' of terrorism, the Indian National Overseas Congress called on the government to deal firmly with terrorists, their sponsors and financiers.
"There can be no justification for these cowardly acts. We urge the state and central governments (of India) to bring the perpetrators, organisers, financiers and sponsors of these reprehensible acts of terrorism to justice," INOC general secretary George Abraham said.
Seeking elimination of terrorism in all its forms and manifestation, INOC president Surinder Malhotra said it was an attack on the pluralistic fabric of India and is apparently meant to disrupt the progress that the country is making in the global arena.
But, he expressed confidence that the terrorists would never succeed in their nefarious designs.
In predominantly Indian markets, almost every shop had television on to get the latest news and the owners and customers animatedly discussed the terror attacks' possible political and business impact.
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