New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Sunday, extended his condolences to the families of Indians killed in the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks in the US, noting that they constituted the highest number of victims after Americans.
Pointing to how this year marks 25 years of the 9/11 attacks while speaking in his monthly ‘Mann Ki Baat’ programme, PM Modi recalled his visit to New York after becoming Prime Minister in 2014, when he paid homage to the victims.
“This year also marks 25 years since the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Among the innocent lives lost at the World Trade Center in the US, the highest number of victims–after Americans–were Indians. I recall that after becoming Prime Minister in 2014, when I visited the US, I had reached New York to pay my homage to those innocent citizens. Today, once again, I extend my condolences to the bereaved families on behalf of crores of Indian citizens,” PM Modi said.
His remarks came after India exercised its right of reply at the UN General Assembly on Friday, following Pakistan prime minister Shehbaz Sharif’s address, with Indian diplomat Petal Gahlot referring to the presence of 9/11 mastermind Osama bin Laden in Pakistan.
“This afternoon, the General Assembly heard some bizarre remarks from the representative of Pakistan. This happens just a fortnight after New York City and the world marked the 25th anniversary of the horrendous 9-11 terrorist attack. This context is important to keep in mind because its mastermind, Osama bin Laden, was living right on the doorstep of the Pakistani Army’s premier academy. This was the very entity which was the subject of such deep genuflection before us today by the representative of Pakistan. But all this is only to be expected from what Pakistanis themselves call a Form 47 government,” Gahlot said.
On that fateful day, 19 al-Qaeda terrorists hijacked four commercial passenger aircraft in coordinated attacks against the United States. Two aircraft were flown into the World Trade Center’s Twin Towers in New York, while a third struck the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia. The fourth aircraft crashed into a field near Shanksville, Pennsylvania, after passengers and crew attempted to regain control.
According to official figures, the attacks killed 2,977 people.
PM Modi also recalled the September 13, 2008 serial blasts in Delhi and the subsequent 26/11 Mumbai attacks while highlighting India’s current approach to terrorism.
“India has long suffered wounds inflicted by terrorist attacks. There was a time when serial blasts had become a common occurrence in the country. It was in this very month of September – specifically on September 13, 2008 – that many innocent lives were lost in the serial blasts in Delhi. Just a few weeks later, the massive 26/11 attack took place in Mumbai. Friends, in the past too, there used to be demands for action against Pakistan following every terror attack, but such calls were often not given due attention; time to pass by was simply awaited. Today, India pursues a zero-tolerance policy against terrorism, and we are witnessing the results of that,” PM Modi said.
