On the 13th anniversary of the attack on Parliament, political leaders led by Rajya Sabha Chairman Hamid Ansari, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan on Saturday paid homage to those who were killed on this day defending the sanctum sanctorum of the Indian democracy.
“We salute the martyrs who lost their lives protecting the Temple of our Democracy on this day in 2001. Their sacrifices are etched in our memory,” tweeted Prime Minister Narendra Modi.UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi, former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Minister of External Affairs Sushma Swaraj, Home Minister Rajnath Singh and other members attended a solemn ceremony held in the premises of Parliament.The leaders, including Deputy Speaker of lok Sabha M Thambi Durai, BJP MP Meenakshi lekhi and CPI’s
D Raja, observed silence for a while in remembrance of the martyrs and paid them floral tributes.On December 13, 2001, five heavily-armed terrorists had stormed the Parliament complex and opened indiscriminate fire, killing nine persons. The five terrorists were also shot dead.Family members of some the slain martyrs, along with parliamentarians also paid tribute to them. A blood donation camp was also organised in Parliament premises in the memory of the martyrs.
The martyrs included five Delhi Police personnel, a woman Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) official, two Parliament watch and ward staff and a gardener. Four accused, including Afzal Guru, were arrested for the attack and found guilty after a trial. Guru was hanged last year in February.
“The martyrs, who sacrificed their lives for the security of the biggest temple of democracy, can never be forgotten by the nation. I pay my tribute to them and express my respect to the families of the martyrs”, said Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh while speaking on the occasion..
Veteran BJP leader lK Advani said that the challenge was not limited to that particular day and the nation is facing terrorism for a long time.”This day reminds us that the threat is not over,” he said.Advani, who was the Home Minister in the first NDA Government led by Atal Bihari Vajpayee, recalled that Pakistan, had at time, in a way agreed that it will demolish the terror infrastructure, it had created.
“We had told then that talks will be fruitful only if this steps are taken. It is a matter of regret that this step has not been taken so far. Our opinion has always been that our neighbouring country should take this step. Only then our talks will be successful,” Advani told newspersons after the ceremony. lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan, who was a Union Minister in 2001 in the Vajpayee Government, wondered what would have happened even if a single terrorist would have entered Parliament.
“When the incident happened, we were in shock for some time,” she said recalling that she was not in Parliament at that time. The Speaker lauded the “bravery”, with which the martyred soldiers fought the terrorists.CPI leader D Raja described it as an attack on democracy, Constitution and the system saying soldiers laid down their lives and made a great sacrifice for the country.