India too needs to tighten laws on acquisition of firearms: Chidambaram after Texas shooting

NEW DELHI: In the wake of the Texas school massacre, senior Congress leader P Chidambaram on Thursday noted that American laws are too lenient on gun control and said India too needs to review and tighten laws relating to the acquisition and possession of firearms.

In one of the worst school shootings in the US, an 18-year-old gunman in body armour massacred at least 21 people, including 19 children and two adults, inside a classroom at a Texas elementary school, prompting President Joe Biden to issue an emotional appeal to lawmakers to "turn this pain into action" to enact tougher gun laws to curb such recurring tragedies.

"There are no words to condemn the horrific killing of 19 4th standard children in a school in Texas. The whole world is in mourning with the American people and the bereaved families," Chidambaram said. "As hate speech and hate killings thrive, we must use all avenues to stop this madness from overwhelming the whole world," the former home minister said in a series of tweets.

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One way is to impose severe gun controls and severely restrict who can buy or own a weapon, he said. American laws are too loose and too lenient in this regard, Chidambaram noted. "India too needs to review and tighten laws relating to acquisition and possession of firearms," he said.

The gunman opened fire at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde town, Texas, 134 km from San Antonio, on Tuesday morning before he was killed by law enforcement officers. All fatalities and injuries took place inside one classroom in Uvalde, according to Lt. Chris Olivarez, spokesperson for the Texas Department for Public Safety. The shooter barricaded himself in one room, killing two teachers and 19 children, he told CNN.

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