Irani, Rathore pay tribute to 26/11 attacks victims

New Delhi: Union ministers Smriti Irani and Rajyavardhan Rathore today paid homage to victims of the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks.

On November 26, 2008, Mumbai was attacked by 10 terrorists of the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba. In the mayhem that followed for three days, 164 people, including 18 police officers and two NSG commandos, were killed and 308 people were injured.

“They brought terror to our shores & were met with the sheer will of our forces to protect the sovereignty & integrity of India,” Irani, the information and broadcasting minister, said in a tweet. “Homage to all victims of 26/11 & gratitude to those who protected us then and continue to do so now,” she tweeted.

Rathore, the minister of state for information and broadcasting, asked people to resolve to eliminate terrorism in all forms and make India a safer place. “On the 9th anniversary of #MumbaiTerrorAttack, a humble prayer for security personnel who gave their lives protecting us,” he tweeted.

“As we share the grief of the families who lost their loved ones, let us all resolve to eliminate terrorism in all forms and make India a safer, better nation,” he said. Irani also greeted the people on the National Constitution Day and said the contribution of those who framed it, including Babasaheb Ambedkar, was “invaluable”.

“Greetings to everyone on National Constitution Day. We remember Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar and every individual who framed our Constitution. Their contribution towards empowering our democracy is invaluable,” she said in another tweet.

Constitution Day is celebrated on November 26 every year to commemorate the adoption of Constitution of India. On this day in 1949, the Constituent Assembly adopted the Constitution and it came into effect on January 26, 1950.