New Delhi, 13 December : Vice-President and Chairman, Rajya Sabha Shri M. Venkaiah Naidu; Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi and Lok Sabha Speaker Shri Om Birla led the nation today in paying tributes to the Martyrs who laid down their lives while defending the Parliament from the terrorist attack on 13 December 2001.
Union Minister of Home Affairs Shri Amit Shah; Union Minister of Defence Shri Raj Nath Singh; Union Minister of Social Justice & Empowerment Shri Thawarchand Gehlot; Leader of Opposition (Rajya Sabha) Shri Ghulam Nabi Azad; Deputy Chairman, Rajya Sabha Shri Harivansh, and Union Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs and Heavy Industries & Public Enterprises Shri Arjun Ram Meghwal also paid tributes.
Among others who paid tributes were several Union Ministers, Members of Parliament, former Members of Parliament and other dignitaries. The Secretaries-General of Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, Shri Utpal Kumar Singh and Shri Desh Deepak Verma, respectively, also paid tributes.
On this occasion, Lok Sabha Speaker Shri Om Birla also released the English and Hindi versions of a book titled ‘The Shaurya Unbound-Tales of Valour of the Central Reserve Police Force’ which includes the story of the insurmountable gallantry of martyrs, who sacrificed their lives while fighting against the dastardly attack on the Parliament. The book is co-authored by Ms. Nitu, DIG CRPF and Shri M Dhinakaran, DIG CRPF. The book brings forth intricate details of operations along with valuable insights. The book does not just limit itself to the operations but reaches the emotions of personal lives of these Heroes.
It may be recalled that it was on this day in the year 2001 that Shri Jagdish Prasad Yadav and Shri Matbar Singh Negi, both Security Assistants of Rajya Sabha Secretariat; Smt. Kamlesh Kumari, Constable, CRPF; Shri Nanak Chand and Shri Rampal, Assistant Sub Inspectors, Delhi Police; Shri Om Prakash, Shri Bijender Singh and Shri Ghanshyam, Head Constables, Delhi Police; and Shri Deshraj, Gardener, CPWD, had sacrificed their lives while defending the Parliament against the terrorist attack. In recognition of their selfless sacrifices, Sarvashri Jagdish Prasad Yadav, Matbar Singh Negi and Smt. Kamlesh Kumari were posthumously awarded the Ashok Chakra. Sarvashri Nanak Chand, Rampal, Om Prakash, Bijender Singh and Ghanshyam were posthumously awarded the Kirti Chakra.