On December 13, 2001, India was target to one of the most brazen terrorist attacks in its history. India's Parliament, the epicenter of the country's democracy, was attacked by five heavily armed Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) militants based out of Pakistan. Lasting for nearly 30 minutes, the attack killed nine individuals, including security officials and a gardener, while all five terrorists were eliminated by the Indian forces.
The Attack: A Chilling Assault on Democracy
The terrorists, at approximately 11:40 AM, arrived in a white Ambassador vehicle with fake Home Ministry and Parliament stickers, making them pass through preliminary security checks. Equipped with AK-47 rifles, pistols, grenades, and grenade launchers, they sought to break into the Parliament building, which had more than 100 MPs, including Home Minister LK Advani, inside.
The militants indiscriminately opened fire, but fast action by security personnel of Parliament and Delhi Police stopped them from entering the central chambers. Constable Kamlesh Kumari, who initially identified the militants, was killed when she sounded the alarm. Security forces returned fire quickly and killed all five terrorists before they could cause any more harm.
The Aftermath and Political Fallout
The attack created a sense of shock throughout the nation and resulted in increased tensions between India and Pakistan. The Indian government blamed Jaish-e-Mohammed and Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) for masterminding the attack with the support of Pakistan's intelligence organization, ISI. This resulted in the 2001–2002 India-Pakistan military standoff with both countries sending troops towards the border.
India responded by tightening its counter-terrorism legislation, and this resulted in the passing of the Prevention of Terrorism Act (POTA) in 2002. Various suspects were arrested and convicted for their participation in the attack. Guru was subsequently executed in 2013, which again triggered more political controversy.
Lessons Learned and Security Measures
The Parliament attack revealed serious security lapses, and the government was forced to reinvent its security measures. The Indian Parliament today is highly secured, with layered security screening, state-of-the-art surveillance systems, and specialist troops manning the complex.
Even with these steps, the attack serves as a stark reminder of the constant threat from terrorism. It also reaffirmed the importance of round-the-clock vigilance, sharing of intelligence, and global collaboration to fight extremist elements.
Conclusion
The Parliament attack of 2001 was not merely a bullying of a building—it was an assault on the democratic fabric of India. Even as the country remained strong in the teeth of terror, the attack remains a reminder in the form of a cautionary tale of the price paid by security forces in safeguarding the nation.
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