New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday remembered the brave hearts who countered the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks and the ones who lost their lives.
Addressing the event on Constitution Day in the Central Hall of the Parliament, the Prime Minister said, "While we are commemorating 'Samvidhan Divas' today, we must not forget the brave hearts who countered the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks and the ones who lost their lives."
He further said that the brave soldiers of the country sacrificed their lives while fighting terrorists. "Today I bow to those sacrifices too," said PM Modi.
Today is the 13th anniversary of the Mumbai terror attack that left at least 174 people, including 20 security force personnel and 26 foreign nationals, killed and more than 300 people injured.
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The terror attack was carried out by 10 gunmen who were believed to be connected to Lashkar-e-Taiba, a Pakistan-based terrorist organisation.
Armed with automatic weapons and hand grenades, the terrorists targeted civilians at numerous sites in the southern part of Mumbai, including the Chhatrapati Shivaji railway station, the popular Leopold Cafe, two hospitals, and a theatre.
While most of the attacks ended within a few hours after they began at around 9.30 p.m. on November 26, the terror continued to unfold at three locations where hostages were taken--the Nariman House, where a Jewish outreach centre was located, and the luxury hotels Oberoi Trident and Taj Mahal Palace and Tower.
Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla said that the Constitution of India is like a modern version of 'The Gita' for us that motivates us to work for the nation.
The Lok Sabha Speaker said, "The Constitution of India is like a modern version of 'The Gita' for us that motivates us to work for the nation. If each one of us commits to working for the country then we can build 'Ek Bharat, Shrestha Bharat'."
Several Opposition parties including Congress, Left parties, All India Trinamool Congress (TMC), Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), Shiv Sena, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), Samajwadi Party (SP) have decided to boycott the Constitution Day function.
The nation celebrates Constitution Day on November 26 to commemorate the adoption of the Constitution of India by the Constituent Assembly in 1949.
Also read: Opposition parties, including Cong, Left boycott Constitution Day event
The observation of Constitution Day started in 2015, based on the vision of the Prime Minister to give due recognition to the significance of this historic date. The roots of this vision can also be traced back to the "Samvidhan Gaurav Yatra" organised by the then Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi in 2010.
ANI
