Sonia, Rahul condemn attack on civilians in Assam

NEW DELHI: Congress President Sonia Gandhi and Vice President Rahul Gandhi today condemned the attack on civilians by militant groups in Assam.

"Killing of innocent people in Sonitpur and Kokrajhar is an act of cowardice and is totally unacceptable," Sonia Gandhi said in a statement.

Expressing deep empathy with the families of people killed in the violence yesterday, Gandhi hoped that all possible steps were being taken by the government to provide relief and instill confidence amongst the victims of this tragedy.

Rahul also condemned the "brutal killings" in Assam. "I strongly condemn the brutal killings in Assam. Such barbaric violence has no justification and no place in our society. My thoughts and prayers are with the family of those who were killed in these attacks," he said in a statement.

36 people were killed in Sonitpur district and 17 in Kokrajhar when heavily armed militants belonging to Songbijit faction of National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB) attacked the 'adivasis' yesterday.