Anti-Terrorism Day is celebrated on 21 May in India every year. It aims to raise awareness about terrorism and violence and the way it affects the common people. It also aims to show how detrimental terrorism is to the nation.
It was on 21 May 1991 that former Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi was assassinated. It'll be 31 years since his death this year.
Last year, the MHA had proposed that officials take the 'Anti-Terrorism Pledge' in their rooms/offices to avoid public gatherings during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Anti-Terrorism Day 2022: History
It was in 1991 when the official date for National Anti-Terrorism Day was established, after the assassination of India's seventh Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi on 21 May 1991.
He was killed in Tamil Nadu by members of the LTTE while he was attending a campaign. Later, the central government under VP Singh decided to observe 21 May as Anti-Terrorism Day nationwide.
On this day, people in all the government offices and public sector take the 'Anti-Terrorism Pledge'.
Anti-Terrorism Day 2022: Significance
Terrorism in any form poses a direct threat to the security of the citizens of India, international stability, and prosperity.
It is a persistent global threat that has no borders, nationality, or religion and is a challenging situation to be dealt with. The objectives of observing this day are:
Spreading the message of peace and humanity.
Raise awareness about terrorist groups and how they plan to strike.
Promotion of unity among the people.
Providing education and training opportunities to youngsters to prevent them from joining terrorist groups.
Raise awareness about the danger of terrorism, violence, and its effect on people, society, and the country as a whole.
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