Pulwama terror attack: Gujarat CM, state BJP and Congress cancel programmes

AHMEDABAD: In the wake of Pulwama terror attack, in which at least 40 CRPF jawans lost their lives, Gujarat chief minister Vijay Rupani on Friday cancelled all his official engagements.
Besides Rupani, Gujarat BJP and Congress also cancelled their party events and meetings scheduled be held in parts of the state on Friday.
Protests condemning the terror attack are being held in different parts of Gujarat.
In Rajkot, members of Antarrashtriya Hindu Parishad, floated by Pravin Togadia, burnt an effigy of terrorists and demanded retaliation.
The Vishwa Hindu Parishad and Bajrang Dal have planned similar protests in different parts of Gujarat in the evening.
Paying tributes on Twitter to the Pulwama terror attack martyrs, Rupani announced cancellation of his programmes scheduled to be held in Surendranagar and Modasa towns Friday.
Expressing grief over the loss of lives in Pulwama, Gujarat BJP chief Jitu Vaghani tweeted that two 'Cluster Sammelans' scheduled to be held in Dhoraji and Amreli this evening, have been cancelled.
Opposition Congress said it has cancelled three of its crucial meetings scheduled to be held at the party headquarter here Friday evening.
The party has organised a candle march at Sabarmati Ashram here to pay respects to the departed souls, said Gujarat Congress spokesperson, Manish Doshi.
"We have cancelled three meetings today. Our party condemns this cowardly attack on our soldiers and demand that the central government takes stern action against terrorists behind this attack," he said.
At least 40 CRPF personnel were killed on Thursday when a Jaish-e-Mohammed suicide bomber rammed an explosives-laden vehicle into the bus they were travelling in in one of the worst terror strikes in Jammu and Kashmir in recent years.