The Shahi Imam of Delhi’s Jama Masjid, Syed Ahmed Bukhari, on Thursday strongly condemned the Red Fort blast, calling it an “abominable terror attack” and stating that terrorism has no place in civil society.
He said he hoped the government would make every effort to bring those responsible to justice. “With a firm national resolve, we shall be able to unitedly fight the menace of terrorism and succeed in defeating it,” the Shahi Imam said in a statement issued by Jama Masjid.
A powerful explosion near Delhi’s Red Fort on Monday evening claimed 13 lives and left several others injured.
Condemning the attack “in the strongest terms,” Bukhari said, “Terrorism has no ground, and could not have any, in civil society.” He added that the Muslim community, which he described as deeply patriotic, “stands at this critical moment with their compatriot Indians like a wall reinforced with lead.”
Expressing his condolences, the Shahi Imam said, “My heart is filled with deep sympathy and solidarity for the affected families who lost their relatives in the incident. Their sorrow is collectively our sorrow. We stand with them on an unshakable foundation of compassion.”
He also urged the national leadership to ensure that those behind the attack are punished, saying that all action taken should be rooted in justice.
