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26/11 attacks anniversary: Politicians pay tributes to martyrs
Political leaders from across the country on Friday paid tributes to the victims and security personnel who lost their lives in the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks.
New Delhi Political leaders from across the country on Friday paid tributes to the victims and security personnel who lost their lives in the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks.
President Ram Nath Kovind led the country in paying homage to the bravehearts who made supreme sacrifice to protect the country. “The nation will always be grateful for the bravery and sacrifice of the security forces who laid down their lives in the line of duty,” he posted on Twitter.
Remembering all those who lost their lives in the attacks, defence minister Rajnath Singh tweeted: “On the 13th anniversary of the November 26th terror attack on Mumbai, we remember the innocent lives we lost. My tributes to everyone who lost their lives in those attacks. Our security forces displayed exemplary courage during the 26/11 attacks. I salute their bravery and sacrifice.”
External affairs minister S Jaishankar said he will “never forget” the terror attacks.
Union minister of commerce and industry Piyush Goyal paid tribute to jawans, policemen and citizens who lost their lives. “Considering the nation as paramount, this country will always be indebted to all the brave soldiers who sacrificed their lives in this attack,” he posted on the micro-blogging site.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi shared a two-minute video of the photographs of all the security forces who lost their lives in the attacks.
“They protect the country by staying away from the family in difficult weather at the border. Save the lives of the innocent by risking his life in terrorist attacks. They don’t care about their life; they only care for their country. It is the pride of the family, of the village, of the country - such as the soldiers of my country,” the former Congress chief tweeted.
“Salute to the heroes of 26/11 #MumbaiTerrorAttack. Jai Hind!” he added.
Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal said “this country will always be indebted to its brave martyrs”.
Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray, who is recuperating in a Mumbai hospital after spine surgery, also remembered the 26/11 martyrs. In a tweet, he said the terror attack was a clear example of the “cowardly mindset” of terrorists.
Former Union minister and Shiromani Akali Dal leader Harsimrat Kaur Badal tweeted: “26/11 #MumbaiTerrorAttack - the horrific incident which we will never forget. Our solidarity with families who lost their loved ones in that gruesome attack. Salute to the bravehearts who made supreme sacrifice to protect the nation. The entire country will remain indebted to them.”
On November 26, 2008, 10 Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorists from Pakistan arrived by sea route and opened fire, killing 166 people, including 18 security personnel, and injuring several others during the 60-hour siege in Mumbai.
The then Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) chief Hemant Karkare, Army Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan, Mumbai’s Additional Police Commissioner Ashok Kamte, Senior Police Inspector Vijay Salaskar and Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) Tukaram Omble were among those killed in the attack.
The Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus, the Oberoi Trident, the Taj Mahal Hotel, Leopold Cafe, Cama Hospital and the Nariman House Jewish community centre, now renamed Nariman Light House, were some of the places targeted by terrorists.
Nine terrorists were later killed by the security forces, including the NSG, the country’s elite commando force. Ajmal Kasab was the only terrorist who was captured alive. He was hanged four years later on November 21, 2012.
(With PTI inputs)
