New Delhi, October 30 2008: President, Vice President and the Prime Minister today strongly condemned the serial blasts that ripped through Assam claiming several lives and said people should stand united to defeat the designs of terrorists.

"There is no place for violence in our society.

At this moment all of us should stand united against divisive forces in the country," President Pratibha Patil said in a message.

Observing that such terrorist acts coinciding with the festive season were intended to disturb social harmony, Vice President Hamid Ansari urged all citizens to unite in combating this scourge.

In his message, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said such barbaric acts targeting innocent men, women and children only highlight the desperation and cowardice of those responsible.

Offering his condolences to the families of those killed and sympathies to those injured in the blasts, he hoped that people would rise unitedly against these attempts to disturb peace and harmony and to destroy the social fabric.

"We will take all possible steps to maintain peace and bring the perpetrators of such acts to justice," the Prime Minister said.

Meanwhile, Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee expressed sorrow at the loss of lives in the serial blasts and offered his sympathies for the families of the bereaved.

"I hope that such acts do not result in disturbing peace in the region, which is in the interest of the people of the country as a whole," Chatterjee said.

He also wished speedy and complete recovery of those injured.