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Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis while paying tribute to the victims of 26/11 Mumbai attack on Monday, 26 November, said that a zero tolerance policy should be followed towards terrorism.
Cricket icon, Sachin Tendulkar also paid tribute to victims of the terrible Mumbai terror attacks that took place a decade ago, saying “we shall stand united and tall against terror."
On 26 November 2008, 10 members of Lashkar-e-Taiba, a recognised terror outfit, carried out 12 shootings and bombings across Mumbai, in a siege that lasted four days and claimed at least 160 lives.
Most of the attacks took place at the popular spots of South Mumbai – Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus, Oberoi Trident, Taj Palace & Tower, Leopold Cafe, Cama Hospital, Nariman House Jewish community centre, Metro Cinema, and in a lane behind the St Xaviers College and The Times of India building.
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Ten years after the 26/11 terror attack, Mumbai is safe and police are competent to handle any terror threat, says Police Commissioner Subodh Kumar Jaiswal.
"We have come a long way in the last 10 years. I can assure Mumbaikars that the city is safe and police are capable of protecting you from any eventuality," Jaiswal told PTI in an interview on the eve of the terror attack's 10th anniversary.
"We have a strong and trained police force having latest equipment, weapons, strategy tactics and are always ready to deal with all the challenges," he added.
(With inputs from PTI)
The United States on Monday, 26 November, announced a USD 5 million reward for information leading to the arrest or conviction in any country of any individual who committed, conspired, aided or abetted the 2008 Mumbai attack.
The Trump Administration announced this major reward (of more than Rs 35 crores) on the 10th anniversary of the terror attack in which 10-Pakistan based LeT terrorist went on a shooting rampage in India's financial hub killing 166 people, including six Americans.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on the ten-year anniversary of the 26/11 attacks, offered his tribute to the families of those who lost their lives in the multiple shootings and bombings. He also praised the efforts of the security forces who fought the terrorists responsible for the attacks.
Two lawyers, Amin Solkar and Farhana Shah, who defended Ajmal Kasab in the 2008 Mumbai attack case on the directions of the Bombay High Court, are yet to get their legal fees from the Maharashtra government.
While the state government says they have not submitted any bills, the lawyers say that state prosecutors are not supposed to.
The two lawyers were tasked with defending Kasab, hanged to death on 21 November, 2012, for killing over 166 people in Mumbai, by the Maharashtra State Legal Services Department, after they were nominated by then acting Chief Justice of Bombay High Court J N Patel.
India is better prepared and better organised since a group of sea-borne terrorists struck at the heart of Mumbai 10 years back, thanks to a string of security measures including a layered maritime surveillance, Navy Chief Admiral Sunil Lanba told PTI.
“We have come a long way since then,” he told PTI in an interview in his office in South Block on the 10th anniversary of the 26/11.
Ten years after the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks, terrorist Mohammad Ajmal Kasab's grin is still etched in Vishnu Zende's memory.
The railway announcer's presence of mind saved the lives of commuters at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus on that fateful night.
Zende was also praised by Railway Minister, Piyush Goyal, for saving many lives, due to his presence of mind, during the attacks.
10 years after the terrorists entered the Taj Palace & Tower, the Taj Group of Hotels is choosing to remember the day as one which brought the country together and to “stand stronger and shine brighter, than ever before”.
“Today, we choose to celebrate the heroes. To recognize the courage and compassion that elicited support from across the world,” it said in a statement.
As a tribute to those who lost their lives in the 26/11 attacks, Karnataka Opposition Leader, BS Yeddyurappa, on the ten-year anniversary of the attack, called for the country to stay united against terrorism.
Congress leader Sachin Pilot too, spoke about the attacks being a reminder that India would desist any act of terrorism.
On the ten-year anniversary of the deadly attacks, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis paid tributes to the martyrs, in an event at the police gymkhana, on Monday, 26 November.
In a post regarding the attacks, Congress stated that the attacks are a reminder that divisive forces cannot break the solidarity of Indians.
The BJP, in its post said that the country would not forget the sacrifices of those who lost their lives and would not forgive the perpetrators of 26/11 Mumbai terror attack.
Political leaders and parties weren’t the only ones remembering the heroes and victims of the 26/11 attacks. VVS Laxman and the whole team of Mumbai Indians tweeted out their messages of homeage to the bravehearts of the attacks.
Speaking in Rajasthan’s Bhilwara ahead of the upcoming polls, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that India would never forget the attacks or its perpetrators and that justice would surely be served, ANI reported.
He also took a dig at the Congress, who was in power at the time, saying that while the incident had shaken up the whole country, the Congress were busy “giving lessons in patriotism”.
"Horrific images" of the Mumbai terror attacks still remain in India's collective memory and "we are honour bound" to get justice for those who suffered, President Ram Nath Kovind said on Monday.
"I refer to the terror attacks in Mumbai on this day, exactly 10 years later. Those horrific images still remain in India's collective memory. As a nation and the people, we are honour bound to get justice for the individuals and families that suffered," Kovind said.
President Kovind also in a tweet said that India remained honour-bound to secure justice and fight against terrorism, as its pledge to those who sacrificed themselves in the terrifying attacks of 26 November, 2008.
Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Monday, 26 November paid tribute to victims of the terrible Mumbai terror attacks that took place a decade ago, saying everyone feels the pain of the families who lost their loved ones.
External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on Monday, 26 November, paid tribute to victims of the terrible Mumbai terror attacks that took place a decade ago, saying “India will defeat terrorism.”
“My tributes to the victims and brave martyrs of the dastardly 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks on its 10th Anniversary. We will continue to seek justice for their families and friends,” Swaraj said.
External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on Monday welcomed the statement made by US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, in which the US called upon countries – “particularly Pakistan” – to uphold their UN Security Council obligations.
“We call upon countries particularly Pakistan to uphold their UN Security Council obligations to implement sanctions against the terrorists responsible for this atrocity, including LeT and its affiliates,” the US statement read.
The MEA, in its response to the US, said: “We welcome the statement issued today by the United States calling on Pakistan to uphold their UN Security Council obligations to implement sanctions against terrorists responsible for 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks, including Lashkar-e-Taiba and its affiliates.”
Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Monday paid tribute to martyred police and security forces on the ten-year anniversary of the deadly attacks in Mumbai, calling it as “one of the saddest days” in the history of India.
“The day marks as one of the saddest days in our history but strengthens our resolve to stand resolute and united against terrorism,” Jaitley wrote in a post published on Twitter.
Maharashtra Information Centre on Monday paid tribute to martyred police officers while releasing the list of cops who had lost their lives in the deadly Mumbai attacks on 26 November 2008.
“We salute our real Heroes, who made the supreme sacrifice for the nation,” the government body said.
Invoking the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday criticised the Congress for teaching "patriotism" to opposition parties then and now, and asking the NDA government to provide proof for the 2016 surgical strikes in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.
"Today is November 26... There were Congress governments at the Centre and in Maharashtra and 26/11 terror attacks in Mumbai... terrorists killed people and security forces of our country.”
“I want to ask them and Congress that 10-years ago such a big terror attack happened, whole world was shocked and Congress was playing a trick to win the elections from that," Modi during an election rally in Rajasthan.
Modi also attacked Congress for preaching patriotism in 2008 but questioning the BJP on surgical strikes. "The same Congress at that time used to preach patriotism. And when our country's forces did surgical strike in Pakistan, when they took revenge, Congress asked for the evidence and demanded to show the video of the surgical strike," he said.
Remembering the “brave people” during the Mumbai attack on 26 November 2008, Cricket icon Sachin Tendulkar on Monday on Twitter said, “ Life sirf lambi nahi, badi bhi honi chahiye,” (Life need not be long it should be big).
“This stands true for all the brave people who protected and served during the Mumbai Terror attack. They proved that no matter what may come, we shall stand united and tall against terror.”
US Ambassador to India, Ken Juster on Monday paid tribute to the victims of 26/11 attack that took place ten years ago.
“It’s been ten years since the 2008 Mumbai terror attack. Honored to be in Mumbai today to join Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and other dignitaries to honor the memory of the victims, including six Americans, and the heroic actions of the Indian security forces” said Juster in a tweet.
Amitabh Bachchan while calling terrorism a parasite said "On this very day, at the same place last year we pledged that we would never give shelter to terror, determined that this parasite called terrorism shall never breed in our homes. Today, we want our dream to be realised, to reawaken to the power of love and of oneness."
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said that surveillance in Mumbai has been increased.
“We are on the path of truth. India has never attacked a country because it follows a path of truth. We have increased surveillance in Mumbai to thwart such dastardly acts in the future," he said.
He also said that a zero tolerance policy should be followed towards terrorism.
Union Minister Piyush Goyal said "It was a challenge posed to humanity by the terrorists."
In his speech, Goyal said that a retaliation to such terrorist acts cannot only be political, it has to be (vikas) development.
Lights were turned off at Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus railway station, Maharashtra Police Headquarters, and Mantralaya on the account of 10th anniversary of 26/11 terror attacks.
US President Donald Trump tweeted that US stood with India, in the quest for justice in the Mumbai terror attack. Trump said that “we will never let terrorists win.”
"The attack killed 166 innocents, including six Americans. We will never let terrorists win, or even come close to winning!" he said.
The president's comments came days after he defended his administration's decision to stop hundreds of millions of dollars in military aid to Pakistan for not doing enough to curb terrorism and criticised Islamabad for offering a hideout to slain al-Qaeda chief bin Laden in the garrison city of Abbottabad.
"We give Pakistan USD 1.3 billion a year... (bin Laden) lived in Pakistan, we're supporting Pakistan, we're giving them USD 1.3 billion a year -- which we don't give them anymore, by the way, I ended it because they don't do anything for us, they don't do a damn thing for us," Trump said.