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Cutting across all barriers, leaders of all political parties will lead the nation in paying homage on Monday to those, who lost their lives in the 2001 Parliament House terrorist attack. Vice President Mohammad Hamid Ansari, the Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh, Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar, Congress President Sonia Gandhi, Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, Sushma Swaraj and Arun Jaitley, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Lal Krishna Advani and several other leaders are expected to offer floral tribute to the martyrs. Mohammed Afzal Guru, who was held guilty in the case, was awarded the death sentence by a Delhi court on December 18, 2002, after being convicted of conspiracy to attack Parliament on December 13, 2001, waging war against the country and murder. The Delhi High Court upheld the death sentence on October 29, 2003 and the Supreme Court rejected his appeal two years later on August 4, 2005. Following this, Afzal filed a mercy petition with the President, who forwarded it to Union Home Ministry for its comments. The 2001 Parliament attack, led to the death of a dozen people; five terrorists, six policemen and a civilian. It also caused increased tensions between India and Pakistan resulting in Operation Parakram in 2002.

Political leaders to pay homage to 2001 Parliament House attack victims