Anti-Terrorism Day Honours Sacrifices Of Bravehearts

Anti-terrorism Day in India is celebrated on May 21 which is also the death anniversary of former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi. The objective of Anti-Terrorism Day is to honour and remember the sacrifices of thousands of soldiers who have fought valiantly against the menace of terrorism. The anti-terrorism day is dedicated to countless such soldiers who have been fighting against extremism at great risk to their lives and to others who have lost their lives in terrorist attacks over several years.

Anti-terrorism day also seeks to send out the message of global peace and non-violence. It underscores the importance of harmony, dialogue and togetherness.

As the Vice President of India M Venkaiah Naidu in his message on Thursday said, all countries need to come together to isolate nations which support and abet terrorism.

Vice-President Venkaiah Naidu rightly observed that terrorism is the biggest threat to global peace and is an enemy of humanity. Over the decades, we see terrorism becoming a global scourge across continents. The horrific September 11 attack is one such reminder, as are the attacks on Indian parliament and the 26/11 Mumbai terrorist strike masterminded by Pakistan's ISI.

India has been a major victim of cross-border terrorism promoted by Pakistan through nonstate actors like Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) and Hizbul Mujahideen in Kashmir. Pakistan has also tried to show the seeds of terrorism in the Valley by trying to use Kashmiris for extremist activities but has not been successful because of India's counter-terrorism efforts. Pakistan has pushed its own trained militants for terrorist activities in India. Over the years India has successfully weaned away a large section of the younger population in the Kashmir Valley from Pakistani influence.