India Pays Tribute to Fallen Heroes Killed in Parliament Attack 20 Years Ago

A five-member squad of Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammad terrorists attacked the Indian Parliament on 13 December 2001. At the time of the attack, several parliamentarians and staff were present inside the building.

As India observes 20th anniversary of a terror attack on the Indian Parliament on Monday, the nation is paying its tribute to those who lost their lives fighting off the terrorists during the 13 December attack.

President Ram Nath Kovind led the nation in paying tribute and expressing a sense of gratitude to those security personnel who gave their lives on this day in 2001. He called the incident a "dastardly" attack.

I pay homage to the brave security personnel who laid down their lives on this day in 2001, defending the Parliament of the world’s largest democracy against a dastardly terrorist attack. The nation shall forever remain grateful to them for their supreme sacrifice.

— President of India (@rashtrapatibhvn) December 13, 2021

Prime Minister Narendra Modi in a message posted on Twitter called the supreme sacrifice of the security personnel an inspiration for all Indians across the country .

I pay my tributes to all those security personnel who were martyred in the line of duty during the Parliament attack in 2001. Their service to the nation and supreme sacrifice continues to inspire every citizen.

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) December 13, 2021

Calling the attack on the Indian Parliament a "cowardly act", Home Minister Amit Shah tweeted in Hindi: "I salute the courage and valour of all the brave security forces who made their supreme sacrifice to protect the pride of the nation in the cowardly terrorist attack on the Parliament House, the temple of Indian democracy. Your unparalleled valour and immortal sacrifice will always inspire us to serve the nation".

भारतीय लोकतंत्र के मंदिर संसद भवन पर हुए कायरतापूर्ण आतंकी हमले में राष्ट्र के गौरव की रक्षा हेतु अपना सर्वोच्च बलिदान देने वाले सभी बहादुर सुरक्षाबलों के साहस व शौर्य को कोटिशः नमन करता हूँ।

आपका अद्वितीय पराक्रम व अमर बलिदान सदैव हमें राष्ट्रसेवा हेतु प्रेरित करता रहेगा। pic.twitter.com/HyzCyPkxnF

— Amit Shah (@AmitShah) December 13, 2021

Aside from President Kovind, Prime Minister Modi, and Home Minister Shah, other federal ministers also paid tributes to the fallen heroes.

My tributes to those brave security personnel who sacrificed their lives during attack on the Parliament House in 2001. The nation will remain grateful for their courage and supreme sacrifice in the line of duty.

— Rajnath Singh (@rajnathsingh) December 13, 2021

My homage to the brave martyrs who defended our Parliament this day in 2001.

Their sacrifice strengthens our resolve to combat cross-border terrorism.

— Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) December 13, 2021

I pay homage to the bravery & valour of the bravehearts who made the supreme sacrifice in the line of duty to repulse the cowardly terror attack on Indian Parliament on this day in 2001. 🇮🇳 pic.twitter.com/MquxTBIf9E

— Hardeep Singh Puri (@HardeepSPuri) December 13, 2021

Respectful homage to those who sacrificed their lives to protect the temple of India’s democracy.
Their timely, brave action, putting the nation before themselves is exemplary.

Picture courtesy: @FinancialXpress online. pic.twitter.com/Z7MGLvNRMu

— Nirmala Sitharaman (@nsitharaman) December 13, 2021

India's main opposition party, Congress, additionally remembered the martyrs saying their sacrifice drives the group to protect the nation's democracy.

This day in 2001, the temple of our democracy, our Parliament, came under attack by forces keen on disturbing peace & progress. The sacrifice our bravehearts made then continues to drive us in our mission to keep our democracy safe.

A billion salutes to the brave martyrs. pic.twitter.com/uBtPR5DXMu

— Congress (@INCIndia) December 13, 2021

Ordinary netizens have also taken to Twitter to salute the late security personnel stating that their sacrifice will always be revered and the country will remain forever indebted to them.

🙏🇮🇳🙏 NAMAN TO MARTYRS
On 13 Dec 2001, five terrorists infiltrated the Parliament House in a car and launched attack.
The perpetrators belonged to Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), two Pakistan-based terrorist organisations. pic.twitter.com/9evl2FbsHg

— 🇮🇳 Subash Vaid 🇮🇳 (@scvaid23) December 12, 2021

20 years back, India’s police & security forces foiled the Pak terrorists’ attack on the Parliament & killed all 5 of them. Our security handled the situation bravely, saved lives &the temple of democracy. We pay homage to the 9 who laid down their lives, in supreme sacrifice. pic.twitter.com/AgUAmSNjMl

— Indian Police Foundation (@IPF_ORG) December 13, 2021

Remembering the martyrs of 2001 Indian Parliament attack in New Delhi on 13th December 2001. The attack led to the deaths of six Delhi Police personnel, two Parliament Security Service personnel and a gardener.#parliamentattack #parliamentattack2001 pic.twitter.com/5u0SoKs3ZN

— Sudip Kumar Maity (@sudipkmaity) December 12, 2021

Remembering all those security personnels who lost their lives in the line of duty during the Parliament Attack in 2001.

India is always greatful towards it's armed forces and police personnels. They are always ready to serve their nation with spunk. #ParliamentAttack2001 .

— SHIVAM PANDEY INDIAN 🇮🇳 (@IShivamP2) December 13, 2021

#JustAsking
How can we forget the #ParliamentAttack on 13th Dec 2001, which saw our nine Bravehearts laying down their lives defending the Temple Of Democracy. On this day we pay our homage to these Bravehearts for standing against the attack on the sovereignty of India. pic.twitter.com/Jh1UMYtT2b

— RomeshNadir🇮🇳 (@RomeshNadir) December 13, 2021

On 13 December 2001, five heavily armed men from the terror groups Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammad breached the security cordons deployed around the Indian Parliament complex and opened fire.

Both houses of the Indian Parliament (Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha) were in session when the attack took place. They had been adjourned 40 minutes prior to the attack, but several parliamentarians and staff were present inside the building.

Five security personnel from the Delhi Police, one female constable from the CRPF, and two security assistants from the Parliament Watch and Ward section died while preventing the terrorists from entering the complex. A gardener and a photojournalist too lost their lives.

The incident brought India and Pakistan to the brink of war.