Payingtributes to the security personnel who sacrificed their lives in the 2001Parliament attack, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Sunday that the countrywill never forget the cowardly attack as well as the men who gave their livesto protect the supreme legislative body of the country.
Ina tweet, the Prime Minister said: "We will never forget the cowardlyattack on our Parliament on this day in 2001. We recall the valour and sacrificesof those who lost their lives while protecting our Parliament. India willalways be thankful to them."
PresidentRam Nath Kovind tweeted: "The nation gratefully remembers the bravemartyrs who laid down their lives while defending Parliament on this day in2001. While commemorating the great sacrifices of the defenders of the templeof our democracy, we strengthen our resolve to defeat the forces ofterror."
DefenceMinister Rajnath Singh also said that the country will always remember the valourof such security personnel. "I salute the valour of all the brave securitypersonnel who made the supreme sacrifice while steadfastly countering theterrorist attack on Parliament on this day in 2001," Singh said.
UnionHome Minister Amit Shah also paid respects to the brave security men. "Ipay my respects to the brave sons of 'Maa Bharati' who made the supremesacrifice, taking on the enemies in the cowardly terrorist attack on Parliamentin 2001. A grateful nation will forever be indebted to your immortalsacrifice," Shah tweeted.
Terroristsfrom Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed terror groups hadattacked Indian Parliament on December 13, 2001. Nine persons, including eightsecurity personnel, were killed in the attack. All five terrorists were alsokilled by security forces. The attack led to high tension between India andPakistan and the security of Parliament was upgraded thereafter.