PM Narendra Modi pays tribute to Pulwama bravehearts, says India will never forget their martyrdom

On February 14 last year, the Pulwama district in Kashmir had witnessed one of the deadliest terrorist attacks in the last decade, claiming the lives of 40 CRPF personnel.

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi today paid his tribute to the 40 CRPF personnel who were martyred in the deadly Pulwama terror attack on February 14 last year. Taking to Twitter, Modi wrote, "Tributes to the brave martyrs who lost their lives in the gruesome Pulwama attack last year. They were exceptional individuals who devoted their lives to serving and protecting our nation. India will never forget their martyrdom."

Earlier in the day, Union Home Ministers Amit Shah, Rajnath Singh and Congress former president Rahul Gandhi paid their tributes to Pulwama martyrs.

"I pay homage to the martyrs of Pulwama attack. India will forever be grateful of our bravehearts and their families who made supreme sacrifice for the sovereignty and integrity of our motherland," tweeted Amit Shah.

"Remembering the fallen CRPF personnel who were martyred during the dastardly attack in Pulwama (Jammu and Kashmir) on this day in 2019. India will never forget their sacrifice," Rajnath tweeted. He said that the entire country stands united against terrorism and "everyone is committed to continue fight against this menace".

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Friday (February 14, 2020) made a stinging attack on the ruling Narendra Modi-led NDA government at the Centre and sought to know from it who benefitted the most from the Pulwama attack on its first anniversary. Taking to Twitter, the Congress MP raised three questions and sought to know from the BJP regime what came out of the inquiry into the February 14, 2019, Pulwama attack.

The Gandhi scion finally asked who in the BJP government has been held accountable for the security lapses that allowed the attack?.

President Ram Nath Kovind tweeted: A grateful nation salutes the supreme sacrifice of our brave soldiers who lost their lives in the dastardly attack by terrorists in Pulwama, Jammu and Kashmir on this day last year. We remain firm in our resolve to defeat and eliminate terrorism in all its forms & manifestations.

Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal tweeted: A soulful tribute to soldiers who were martyred on this day in Pulwama terror attack.

On February 14, 2019 afternoon, a convoy of 78 buses carrying almost 2,500 jawans came was on its way from Jammu to Srinagar after Jaish-e-Mohammed terrorist Adeel Ahmed Dar, driving an explosive-laden car, blew himself next to a convoy of security forces. The attack claimed lives of at least 40 CRPF personnel. 

In the meantime, a  memorial for the CRPF personnel, who were killed in the Pulwama attack, will be inaugurated at the Lethpora camp on Friday. "It is a way to pay homage to the brave jawans who lost their lives in the attack," Additional Director General of CRPF Zulfiquar Hasan said on Thursday in Srinagar after a visit to the site where the memorial has been erected. The names of all the 40 personnel along with their pictures will be part of the memorial along with the moto of the CRPF- "Seva and Nishtha" (Service and Loyalty).

The memorial has been set up inside a CRPF camp adjacent to the place where the JeM terrorist had blown himself to a convoy of security forces. Almost all the conspirators behind the dastardly attack have since been killed with the last one being Qari Yasir, the self-styled chief of Jaish-e-Mohammad terror group, who was killed last month.