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2001 Parliament attack: President, PM Modi pay respects to those who lost lives
On December 13, 2001, five heavily armed terrorists stormed inside the Parliament complex and opened fire indiscriminately.
President of India Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday paid tributes to those who died in the 2001 Parliament attack. Fourteen people, including security forces personnel and a civilian, had lost their lives in the attack. PM Modi paid homage at the Parliament and said that “we will never forget their service, bravery and sacrifice”.
President of India Droupadi Murmu also recalled the loss of precious lives. “The nation pays homage to the valiant martyrs who laid down their lives while defending the Parliament against terrorist attack on this day in 2001. We will always remain grateful to the bravehearts for their courage and supreme sacrifice,” she wrote on Twitter.
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Several other leaders including Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, Sonia Gandhi, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, Vice President and Rajya Sabha chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar, and Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla paid tributes to the fallen jawans 21 years after the attack.
Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla while starting the session said, “We solemnly remember the cowardly attack on our Parliament on 13th December. We also remember the valour of the alert security personnel who foiled the attack on this symbol of democracy. We remember the supreme sacrifice made by the security personnel.”
Meanwhile, Rajya Sabha deputy chairman Harivansh Narayan Singh said, “13th December will be remembered as the grimmest day in the history of independent India.”
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He added, “21 years ago, terrorists attacked this temple of democracy but security personnel displayed valour to protect it and foil terrorists' audacious attempt to strike at the very soul of our nation.”
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi wrote on Twitter: “On this day in 2001, during the dastardly terrorist attack on Parliament, I pay tribute to the heroes of the country who laid down their lives to protect India's honour. The whole country is indebted to his sacrifice, which inspires us to dedicate everything in the service of the country.”
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal also paid tributes to the martyred jawans in the attack. “I salute the bravery and immortal martyrdom of our jawans who protected the temple of our great democracy in the terrorist attack on the Parliament of the country in the year 2001,” he wrote on Twitter.
On December 13, 2001, five heavily armed terrorists stormed inside the Parliament complex and opened fire indiscriminately, killing as many as 14 people. The attack took place around 40 minutes after Parliament was adjourned and about 100 members were present in the building.
