A Akhter  / NEW DELHI

Leaders from various political parties today paid homage to the martyrs who sacrificed their lives while defending Parliament House from dastardly terror attack on this day in 2001.

Vice President and Chairman Rajya Sabha M Venkaiah Naidu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan, former Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh, Union Ministers, Members of Parliament and Leaders of different political parties paid floral tributes to the martyrs at the plaque in Parliament House.

In a tweet, President Ram Nath Kovind said, forces of hate and terror targeted India’s democracy and democratic values what Indians cherish most. He said, the forces of hate and terror did not succeed and India will never let them succeed.

In a tweet, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said, the nation pays homage to the martyrs who laid down their lives protecting the temple of Indian democracy. He said, their sacrifices will never be forgotten.

Paying tributes to the martyrs of 2001 Parliament attack, Home Minister Rajnath Singh said, the nation salutes the exemplary valour and courage of those who sacrificed their lives protecting the temple of India’s democracy.

In a tweet, Mr Singh said, the supreme sacrifice of the martyrs will always be remembered by people.

Information and Broadcasting Minister Smriti Irani in a tweet said, their supreme sacrifice to protect the temple of democracy will never be forgotten by a grateful Nation.

On this day, two persons from the Parliament Security Service of the Rajya Sabha, five Delhi Police Personnel and a woman constable of the Central Reserve Police Force, laid down their lives while preventing entry of terrorists inside the Parliament House Building. A gardener of CPWD had also lost his life in the attack.