Sonia Gandhi shocked at Paris terror attacks

NEW DELHI: Congress President Sonia Gandhi today expressed shock over the terrorist attack in Paris and made a strong pitch for India and France joining hands in the battle against "dark forces" of violence, bigotry and religious extremism.

In a letter to the French President Francois Hollande, Gandhi said that the attacks have left her and millions in India deeply shocked and saddened.

She said that she felt the suffering of the affected people deeply in view of the fact that she had personally experienced her near and dear ones losing to terrorist attacks.

She noted France is a nation that has always proudly defended secular values, nurtured its great traditions of fraternity among mankind and promoted religious and cultural tolerance and understanduing.

"These are traditions to which India is deeply committed and these shared values constitute a special bond between our two countries", she told the French President making a strong pitch that India and France join hands in the battle against the "dark forces."

"We stand staunchly behind you in your fight against such acts of inhumanity and hatred", she said.

At the Nehru birth anniversary celebrations, both Gandhi as also Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi expressed grief over the terror attacks. The Congress President said that the attacks needed to be condemned in the strongest possible terms and the war on terror should be unrelenting.