24th Anniversary: PM Modi and Leaders Pay Tribute to 2001 Parliament Attack Victims in Solemn Ceremony

Every year, a solemn ceremony is conducted outside the former Parliament building on December 13 to commemorate the victims of the 2001 attack.

New Delhi:

Vice President C P Radhakrishnan led members of Parliament on Saturday in offering floral tributes to those who sacrificed their lives defending against terrorists during the 2001 Parliament House attack.

On the 24th anniversary of the tragic incident, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Radhakrishnan, who also serves as the Rajya Sabha Chair, were among the first officials to pay their respects.

The annual commemoration takes place outside what is now called the Samvidhan Sadan (old Parliament building) each December 13.

CISF personnel presented a formal "samman guard" salute at the venue, followed by a moment of silence to honor the anniversary. This tradition was previously carried out by CRPF forces who offered 'salami shastra' (present arms) until 2023.

Congress leader Sonia Gandhi, Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, and his sister Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, a senior party leader, also attended the memorial event. Union ministers Kiren Rijiju, Jitendra Singh, and Arjun Ram Meghwal joined in paying homage by placing flower petals on photographs of the personnel who lost their lives thwarting the attack.

Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla was absent from the ceremony as he was in Latur attending the funeral of former Lok Sabha Speaker and ex-Union minister Shivraj Patil.

The 2001 attack was executed by five armed terrorists, but their attempt was foiled by the combined efforts of the former Parliament Security Service, CRPF, and Delhi Police personnel. No terrorist managed to enter the Parliament building during the attack.

The assault claimed the lives of six Delhi Police personnel, two Parliament Security Service staff members, a gardener, and a television video journalist. All five terrorists were killed in the forecourt of what was then the Parliament building.