2001 Parliament attack: VP Dhankhar, PM Modi pay floral tributes to victims

New Delhi, Dec 13: Vice-President and Rajya Sabha chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar, as well as Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, paid floral tributes on Tuesday to the security officers and victims who died while protecting the Parliament 21 years ago.

Besides, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and several Cabinet ministers, and Parliamentarians also paid floral homage to the security officers.

President of India Droupadi Murmu also remembered the victims.

Taking to Twitter, Rashtrapati Bhavan said, "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."

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."

It is to be recalled that the terror attack on the Indian Parliament took place on December 13, 2001. In the attack,

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-- who attacked the Parliament on December 13, 2001.

The attack on the parliament caused 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.

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.