New Delhi, Mar 15 (PTI) Congress President Rahul Gandhi on Friday condemned the mass shootings in New Zealand that killed 49 people and termed it "a despicable act of terrorism".

He said the world stands in need of compassion and understanding and not bigotry and hate-filled extremism.

"The New Zealand Shooting is a despicable act of terrorism, that must be condemned unequivocally. The world stands in need of compassion and understanding. Not bigotry and hate filled extremism. My condolences to the families of the victims. My prayers go out to those who were injured," he said on Twitter.

Mass shootings at two mosques full of worshippers attending Friday prayers killed 49 people in New Zealand.

Senior Congress leader Ahmed Patel described the New Zealand incident as a "crime against humanity" as he called for a fight against bigotry and hatred.

"What happened in New Zealand is a crime against humanity. It is a dangerous reminder that hatred and bigotry must be fought at every turn. The families of the victims remain in our thoughts & prayers," he said.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)