Tributes paid to martyrs of Parliament attack

New Delhi, Dec 13 (UNI) The nation today paid tributes to the martyrs who laid down their lives while defending Parliament from the terrorist attack on December 13, 2001.

Vice-President Mohd Hamid Ansari, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee were among the first to pay floral tributes to the martyrs.

Deputy Chairman Rajya Sabha Rehman Khan, Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Jaswant Singh and Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha L K Advani also paid floral tributes.

Several other Union Ministers, sitting and former members of Parliament, also paid their respects.

In recognition of the selfless sacrifices of those killed in the attack, Sarvashri Jagdish Prasad Yadav, Matbar Singh Negi and Smt Kamlesh Kumari, were posthumously awarded the Ashok Chakra.

Sarvashri Nanak Chand, Rampal, Om Prakash, Bijender Singh and Ghanshyam were posthumously awarded the Kirti Chakra.

A blood donation camp was also organised at Parliament House on the occasion by the Indian Red Cross Society.

An inconsolable kin of a Parliament attack victim accused the Government of not fulfilling the promises made to her.

Late ASI Nanak Chand's wife Vimla Devi narrated the woes with a choked voice and tears in her eyes. She said land for a petrol pump which was alloted to her as part of compensation following the killing of her husband, was not yet handed.

Six Delhi Police personnel, one gardener and five terrorists were killed in the attack.

UNI