Making an obituary reference in the Lok Sabha, speaker Meira Kumar said, 'Nine years ago, in a brazen attack, terrorists sought to unsuccessfully hit at the very edifice of our democratic polity, the Parliament of India.'
On the ninth anniversary of the terror strike on the "edifice" of the country's democratic polity, Parliament today paid homage to victims of the attack and pledged to resolutely combat the global malaise of terrorism.
Making an obituary reference in the Lok Sabha, speaker Meira Kumar said, "Nine years ago, in a brazen attack, terrorists sought to unsuccessfully hit at the very edifice of our democratic polity, the Parliament of India."
She said the dastardly attack was thwarted by the valiant and the ever vigilant security forces guarding the Parliament complex. "Lamentably though in the process five security personnel of Delhi police, a woman constable of the CRPF and two security assistants of Parliament security achieved martyrdom," she said.
Paying homage to the sacrifice made by the brave security personnel, Kumar said the House "calls for concerted and renewed efforts to cope with the global malaise of terrorism. Let us on this day also resolve to resolutely combat the macabre designs of the perpetrators of terrorism."
In the Rajya Sabha, chairman Hamid Ansari paid tributes to those who made supreme sacrifices fighting the terrorists.
"December 13, 2010 marks the 9th anniversary of dastardly attack on Parliament by terrorists... the House recalls heroic deeds and supreme sacrifices by our security personnel who laid down their lives... while preventing entry of terrorists in Parliament," he said.
"The deceased set an example of supreme sacrifice. The House pays homage and condemns the incident in unequivocal terms," he said, adding the country has to take a firm resolve to fight terrorism.
The members observed silence in both Houses as a mark of respect to those killed in the attack.
Before the two Houses met for the day, the vice-president and MPs cutting across party lines paid floral tributes at the photographs of those killed.
Ansari, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Kumar, Congress chief Sonia Gandhi, leader of the opposition in the Lok Sabha Sushma Swaraj, finance minister Pranab Mukherjee, BJP veteran LK Advani, several union ministers and other dignitaries offered flowers at the photographs in the Parliament complex.
As CRPF personnel gave salute, those present stood in silence for a minute as buglers sounded the last post.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}