Cong leaders Rahul Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi pay tribute to 2001 Parliament attack victims

Congress leader and Waynad MP Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday remembered the security personnel, who laid their lives during the terror attack in Parliament in 2001, by saying that their sacrifice inspires us to dedicate everything in the service of the country.

"I pay tribute to the heroes of the country who laid down their lives to protect the honour of India on this day in 2001, during the dastardly terrorist attack on Parliament. The whole country is indebted to their sacrifice, which inspires us to dedicate everything to the service of the country," the Congress leader tweeted in Hindi.

Congress Party former president Sonia Gandhi paid floral tributes to the victims on the 21st anniversary of the Parliament Attack on Tuesday.

Sonia Gandhi was accompanied by Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, party leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury to the Parliament.

Earlier on Tuesday, Vice-President and Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar and Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla led the nation in paying tributes to the security personnel and victims who lost their lives while defending the Parliament 21 years ago.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, several Cabinet Ministers, and Parliamentarians also paid floral tribute to the security personnel and victims, who sacrificed their lives in defending the Parliament during the terror attack in 2001.

President of India Droupadi Murmu also remembered the victims.

"The nation pays homage to the valiant martyrs who laid down their lives while defending the Parliament against terrorist attack on this day in 2001. We will always remain grateful to the bravehearts for their courage and supreme sacrifice," a tweet from Rashtrapati Bhavan said.

Union Law Minister Kiren Rijiju also paid tributes to the victims of the Parliament attack.

Taking to Twitter, Union Minister said, "Tributes to the brave personnel who sacrificed their lives while protecting our Parliament against the dastardly terrorist attack on this day in 2001. Their supreme sacrifice and bravery will never be forgotten."

The tributes reminded everyone about the horrific terror attack on the Indian Parliament on December 13, 2001.

It may be recalled that it was on December 13, 2001, that Jagdish, Matbar, Kamlesh Kumari; Nanak Chand and Rampal, Assistant Sub-Inspectors, Delhi Police; Om Prakash, Bijender Singh and Ghanshyam, Head Constables in Delhi Police; and Deshraj, a gardener, CPWD, had sacrificed their lives while defending the Parliament against the terrorist attack.

The perpetrators belonged to Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM)-- two Pakistan-raised terrorist organisations-- attacked the Parliament on December 13, 2001, that led to the deaths of five Delhi Police personnel, two Parliament Security Service personnel, one CRPF Constable and a gardener and led to increased tensions between India and Pakistan, resulting in the 2001-2002 India-Pakistan standoff.

A total of five terrorists, who infiltrated the Parliament in a car with Home Ministry and Parliament labels, were killed on December 13, 2001 attack.

More than 100 people, including major politicians, were inside the parliament building at the time. The gunmen used a fake identity sticker on the car they drove and thus easily breached the security deployed around the parliamentary complex. The terrorists carried AK47 rifles, grenade launchers and pistols.

The gunmen drove their vehicle into the car of Indian Vice President Krishan Kant (who was in the building at the time), got out, and began shooting. The Vice President's guards and security personnel shot back at the terrorists and then started closing the gates of the compound.

Indian security agencies and the Delhi Police officials said that gunmen received instructions from Pakistan and the operation was carried out under the guidance of Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) agency.

( With inputs from ANI )

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