Investigations thereon pointed at Pakistan, but it denied having any involvement in the attack

President Ram Nath Kovind, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla and Union cabinet ministers on Sunday paid homage to people who had laid down their lives 19 years ago while protecting Parliament from attack by Pakistan’s Jaish-e-Mohammed terrorist group.

Five security personnel of Delhi Police, one woman constable of the CRPF and two security assistants of Parliament Watch and Ward section had died while preventing the entry of terrorists into Parliament House on December 13, 2001. A gardener and a photojournalist had lost their lives.

Remembering the sacrifice made by these people, President Ram Nath Kovind tweeted: “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.”


Prime Minister Narendra Modi also took to twitter and wrote that India will always be thankful to them. “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.”

It was 19 years ago, five terrorists belonging to Pakistan-based terrorist outfit, attacked the Indian Parliament in an attempt to capture the building with many parliamentarians and staff present inside the building.

Their plan was foiled by security personnel who were able to neutralize the attackers in an operation which lasted for 30 minutes.

Investigations thereon pointed at Pakistan, however, it denied having any involvement in the attack. Indian forces immediately arrested four people namely Mohammed Afzal Guru, Shaukat Hussain, Afsan Guru and SAR Geelani.

While Afsan Guru and SAR Geelani were eventually acquitted during the trials, Hussain was awarded a jail term and Afzal Guru was awarded capital punishment and was hanged to death in 2013.

India, along with several other world leaders condemned Pakistan for the attacks on Parliament, however, India’s immediate neighbour did not learn any lesson from that. In fact, it continued to spread terrorism on Indian soil and continued to be in the denial mode.

Apart from the 2001 attacks, Pakistan has been named and shamed for the deadly attacks of 26/11 in 2008 in Mumbai and the ghastly attacks in Uri and Pulwama. India has given several proofs to Pakistan for these attacks but Pakistan denies all of it.

After the 26/11 attacks, the Indian side handed over several dossiers to Pakistan proving its involvement in the attacks. It asked Pakistan to launch cases against those who were responsible.

Even one of the masterminds, David Coleman Headley confessed that the Lashkar-e-Taiba operated under ISI and carried out the brutal act in Mumbai in 2008. Headley is a convict in the Mumbai attack case and he has been sentenced to 35 years in prison by a US court.

Similarly, the only surviving attacker, Ajmal Kasab confessed that the conspiracy was created in Pakistan by terror group LeT. The operatives included Zakiur Rahman Lakhvi, he had said.

As far as the Pulwama attacks, which killed 40 of India’s CRPF personnel, are concerned, the truth came from the horse’s mouth. Earlier this year, Pakistani Minister Fawad Chaudhary, inside Pakistan’s National Assembly admitted that Pakistan was behind the attacks of Pulwama.

He said, “Humne Hindustan ko ghus ke maara (We hit India in their home). Our success in Pulwama is a success of this nation under the leadership of Imran Khan. You and us are all part of that success.”

But officially, Pakistan denies having any hand in cross-border terrorism despite being unmasked at various international forums and continues with its eye-wash tactics.