20 years of 2001 Parliament attack: President Kovind, PM Modi, ministers pay tributes to those killed

NEW DELHI: On the 20th anniversary of the 2001 Parliament attack on Monday, President Ram Nath Kovind, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and senior Union ministers paid tributes to the people who lost their lives in the incident.
The terrorist attack had claimed nine lives, while several others sustained injuries.
"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,"
The Prime Minister's tweet read.

"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," Kovind tweeted.

Union home minister Amit Shah tweeted in Hindi: "I salute the courage and valour of all the soldiers, who made their supreme sacrifice to protect the temple of Indian democracy - Parliament House - in the cowardly terrorist attack. Your unparalleled valour and sacrifice will always inspire us to serve the nation."

Union defence minister Rajnath Singh said, "My tributes to those brave security personnel who sacrificed their lives during the attack on the Parliament House in 2001. The nation will remain grateful for their courage and supreme sacrifice in the line of duty."
Prahlad Joshi, Union parliamentary affairs minister, tweeted, "On the 20th anniversary of the attack on India's Parliament, we offer tributes to the martyrs who died protecting lives. India will forever be grateful to the bravehearts for displaying exceptional valour in protecting the nation."
On December 13, 2001, five heavily armed terrorists belonging to terror outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), stormed the Parliament complex in New Delhi and opened fire indiscriminately.
The incident took place around 40 minutes after Parliament was adjourned and about 100 members were present in the building at the time of the attack.
All five terrorists involved in the attack and eight security personnel, besides a gardener, had died in the incident which brought India and Pakistan to the brink of war.