Tributes pour in on 26/11 attack anniversary

When India was celebrating its Constitution in 2008, enemies of humanity carried out the biggest terror attack on India, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Saturday as he paid tributes to those who lost their lives in the 26/11 Mumbai attacks which claimed over 160 lives

When India was celebrating its Constitution in 2008, enemies of humanity carried out the biggest terror attack on India, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Saturday as he paid tributes to those who lost their lives in the 26/11 Mumbai attacks which claimed over 160 lives.

Mumbai Police personnel pay homage to the martyrs of 26/11 attacks on Saturday. (Bhushan Koyande/HT)

Addressing the Constitution Day celebrations in Supreme Court, Modi said: “Today is also the anniversary of the Mumbai terror attacks. Fourteen years back, when India was celebrating its Constitution and citizens’ rights, enemies of humanity carried out the biggest terror attack on India. I pay tribute to those who lost their lives in the attack.”

Modi said the Constitution Day celebrations are special as India is also celebrating the Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav to mark 75 years of Independence.

“‘We the People’ is a commitment and belief that has made India the mother of democracy,” he said, while paying tributes to Dr BR Ambedkar.

Saturday marked the 14th anniversary of the terrorist attacks carried out in Mumbai on November 26, 2008, in which 166 people were killed and another 238 were injured. Considered among the deadliest terror strikes in India, the attack was carried out by 10 terrorists who were sent to India by Pakistan-based outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba’s (LeT) top leadership that worked with Pakistan’s spy agency, ISI, and other outfits.

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has already completed its probe against all the perpetrators and shared detailed evidence with Pakistani authorities several times, but there has been no response till date.

Besides Modi, President Droupadi Murmu, Union home minister Amit Shah, defence minister Rajnath Singh, external affairs minister S Jaishankar and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi were among those who paid tributes to the victims of the attacks.

“On the anniversary of 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks, the nation remembers with gratitude all those we lost. We share the enduring pain of their loved ones and families. Nation pays homage to the security personnel who fought valiantly and made supreme sacrifice in the line of duty,” the Rashtrapati Bhavan tweeted.

Shah said the day gives a message to the whole world to fight unitedly against terrorism.

“I pay my heartfelt tributes to those who lost their lives in the 26/11 Mumbai attacks and remember and salute our brave security personnel who made the supreme sacrifice fighting the terrorists. Today gives a message to the whole world to fight unitedly against terrorism,” he said in a tweet.

Singh said the “country has not forgotten the incident of 26/11, nor will it ever forget.”

Jaishankar said those who planned and oversaw the 26/11 terror strikes in Mumbai must be brought to justice. “Terrorism threatens humanity. Today, on 26/11, the world joins India in remembering its victims. Those who planned and oversaw this attack must be brought to justice,” he tweeted.

“We owe this to every victim of terrorism around the world,” he added.

Gandhi said India will continue to stand fearlessly against violence. “Security personnel who sacrificed their everything to protect India, are the pride of our country. My humble tributes to the brave soldiers and common people who were martyred in the 26/11 Mumbai terror attack,” he said in a tweet in Hindi.

“India has always stood fearlessly against fear and violence and will continue to do so,” he added.

Maharashtra chief minister Eknath Shinde and governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari paid floral tributes to the martyrs at the martyrs’ memorial in the premises of the Police Commissioner Office in south Mumbai. Deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis was also present at the occasion.

In a tweet, Shinde called it “a dark day in the history of the country”.

“On this day, humanity was attacked,” Fadnavis tweeted while sharing a short clip on the terror attacks.