New Delhi: Vice President and Rajya Sabha Chairperson M Venkaiah Naidu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Speaker Om Birla, Union ministers and Opposition leaders on Sunday paid tributes at the Parliament complex to those who lost their lives in the 2001 Parliament attack.
Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairperson Harivansh, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Home Minister Amit Shah, Leader of Opposition in the Upper House Ghulam Nabi Azad, Ram Gopal Yadav of the Samajwadi Party and Rajiv Shukla of the Congress were among those who paid tributes at a brief ceremony held outside the Parliament building.
Those present observed a moment of silence as a mark of respect for the martyrs.
Nineteen years ago on December 13, terrorists of the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and the Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) attacked the Parliament complex and opened fire.
Five Delhi Police personnel, a woman Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) trooper and two Parliament Watch and Ward Staff died taking on the terrorists. A gardener and a photojournalist also died.
All five terrorists were shot dead by security forces in retaliatory action.
Earlier, President Ram Nath Kovind said the nation gratefully remembers the brave martyrs who laid down their lives defending Parliament on this day in 2001.
"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.
Taking to Twitter, PM Modi said India will never forget the cowardly attack on its Parliament.
"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," he said.
The incident led to high level of tension between India and Pakistan and a massive upgrade in the security of the Parliament complex.
(PTI)