AMN / WEB DESK
President, Vice President, Prime Minister and Lok Sabha Speaker today paid tributes to the Martyrs who made supreme sacrifice and thwarted a cowardice attack on Parliament in 2001.
President Ram Nath Kovind said, the nation gratefully remembers the brave martyrs who laid down their lives defending the Parliament on this day in 2001. He said, while commemorating the great sacrifice of those defenders of the temple of our democracy, we strengthen our resolve to defeat the forces of terror.
Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu said, tributes to the brave men who made supreme sacrifice defending the temple of our democracy from terrorist attack on Parliament in 2001. He said, this day reminds that terrorism is the biggest threat to democracy. Mr Naidu said, the world community should unite against the countries who are supporting terrorism.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi said, we will never forget the cowardly attack on our Parliament on this day in 2001. He said, we recall the valour and sacrifice of those who gave away their lives protecting our Parliament. Mr Modi said, India will always be thankful to them.
Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla remembered the security personnel and Parliament officials who sacrificed their lives protecting the temple of democracy on this Day in 2001. He said, their devotion to duty, gallantry and valour will always inspire us and also strengthen our resolve to fight terrorism.
Later at a tribute programme at Parliament House premises, Vice President and Chairman Rajya Sabha M Venkaiah Naidu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, Home Minister Amit Shah, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman Harivansh, Leader of the House in Rajya Sabha Thawarchand Gehlot, Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad, Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Arjun Ram Meghwal, and several Members of Parliament paid floral tributes to the Martyrs.
On this day in 2001, five heavily-armed terrorists stormed the Parliament complex and opened fire indiscriminately. The attack lasted for about 30 minutes and all the five terrorists of Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammad were neutralised outside the building itself.
Two persons from the Parliament Security Service of the Rajya Sabha Jagdish Prasad Yadav and Matbar Singh Negi, five Delhi Police Personnel Nanak Chand, Rampal, Om Prakash, Bijender Singh and Ghanshyam and a woman constable of the Central Reserve Police Force Kamlesh Kumari laid down their lives while preventing entry of terrorists inside the Building. A gardener of CPWD Deshraj also lost his life in the attack on the temple of democracy. A journalist who sustained injuries died later.
About 100 members of parliament were present in the building during the horrific incident.