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Taking to Twitter on the 19th anniversary of the dastardly attack, PM Modi said, “We will never forget the cowardly attack on our Parliament on this day in 2001. We recall the valour and sacrifice of those who lost their lives protecting our Parliament. India will always be thankful to them.”
President Ram Nath Kovind also remembered the brave martyrs who laid down their lives defending Parliament 19 years ago.
"The nation gratefully remembers the brave martyrs who laid down their lives defending the Parliament on this day in 2001. While commemorating the great sacrifice of those defenders of the temple of our democracy, we strengthen our resolve to defeat the forces of terror," Kovind tweeted.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah tweeted in Hindi, we salute the people who lost their lives to protect the Parliament, the temple of democracy.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh also saluted the brave martyrs of the Parliament attack in 2001.
2001 Parliament attack
On this day 19 years ago, the Indian Parliament was attacked by five terrorists belonging to Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) terror groups, while the Lok Sabha was in session.
The attackers came in an Ambassador car and were able to gain entry because of a forged government sticker. But as the car moved inside the Parliament complex, one of the staff members became suspicious. The vehicle was thus forced to turn back and in the course, hit then vice president Krishan Kant’s vehicle.
The gunmen, armed with AK-47s and grenades, then got down and opened fire. The attack lasted for about 30 minutes, and all the five terrorists were neutralised outside the building itself. However, five security personnel of Delhi Police, one woman constable of the CRPF, and two security assistants of Parliament Watch and Ward section died preventing the entry of terrorists into Parliament House. A gardener and a photojournalist too lost their lives.