26/11 anniversary highlights: Time to rise and say no, terror not an instrument of justice, says Amitabh Bachchan

26/11 anniversary highlights: 

The event draws to a close as the families of 26-11 victims share the stage with the presenters and performers

#onthisday in 2008 my city, my nation was attacked. Brave souls laid down their lives to protect us. Others fought courageously & lived. It was my honour to speak with ex-marine commando #PraveenTeotia. We salute you #JaiHind #NeverForget2611 @100MasterBlastr @IndianExpress pic.twitter.com/KMiDpzhtVl

— sachin tendulkar (@sachin_rt) November 26, 2017

8:34 pm: Indian National Anthem being played now.

8:33 pm: Whatever political rethoric may its not an instrument of justice but whimsical random of evil, says Amitabh Bachchan.

8:25 pm: To understand ourselves as a collective together we should find time to debate, argument, understand each other and challenge each other and be compassionate to each other, says Amitabh Bachchan.

8:18 pm: Nine years ago these attacks to me was a wake up call, wake up yes but wake up to what? I woke up to a new era of violence, woke to the fact that terror is not ideology but evoking fear of sudden untimely death, negotiating at a point of gun, terrorism is not an act of faith and cannot replace any ideology, says Amitabh Bachchan.

8:16 pm: It’s time to rise and say no, uproot every weed from our surroundings, says Amitabh Bachchan.

8:15 pm: Terror does not preserve anything, once unleashed it can not be stopped by debate. It can only be repulsed by a more powerful reaction, says Amitabh Bachchan.

8:10 pm: 9 years ago on this day the attacks to me were a wake up call. Wake up yes, but wake up to what? I woke up to the fact that terror is not an ideology but an act of scaring peaceful people: Amitabh Bachchan

8:08 pm: We have tried to make our sea secure our forces well equipeed and men more skilled. We have best protective gear bullet resistent, latest tech to get human and tech intelligence and sharing it with all agencies of state and centre govt coming together. But still what wqe require is resolve of people and we want them to be eyes and ears of the forces and police, says Fadnavis.

8:07 pm: I think still what we really require is the resolve of people, we want the people to be the eyes and ears of our forces and police, because the forces we are fighting have no ethos, no principles or set of laws, they are enemies of humanity. They want to create an atmosphere of fear, says Fadnavis.

8:05 pm: I feel we have moved on, things have changed. Mumbai is changing, today we have installed the CCTV, the third eye which is providing direct intelligence, says Fadnavis.

8:05 pm: I think this moment is not just to pay our gratitude it’s also to make a resolve that we will not let this happpen again, says Fadnavis.

8:02 pm: We express our gratitude towards all soldiers, from central forces and Mumbai Police who fought bravely to protect the city, our lives and also to meet these wonderful people who were very common before 26/11 and today as well socio-economically they may be common people but their courage, their fight after the attack has made them special: Fadnavis

8:00 pm: CM Devendra Fadnavis starts speaking.

The audience is spellbound as Sachin Tendulkar speaks to 26-11 hero and former Marine Commando Praveen Kumar.

7:52 pm: Don’t have a doubt that the stories of strength will continue to inspire us foir a long time to come, says Luthra.

7:50 pm: In the last 9 years, many have displayed courage to go on in life, this has toughened us all and strenghened us all, says Luthra.

7:46 pm: Courage is also about perseverance, about picking up pieces and starting fresh when everything seems lost. 26/11 showed us the meaning of courage in all its manifestations, says Luthra.

7:44 pm: In the armed forces the focus on inculcating courage in all its forms is of paramount importance. Our training and education is to make sure we chose the right path, says Luthra.

7:42 pm: We recognise physical courage as the bedrock of courage, valour and sacrifice, says Luthra.

7:40 pm: When we say Bharat Mata ki Jai, it’s not only a slogan, it’s also a matter of courage: Girish Luthra

7:39 pm: Courage finds prominence in our scriptures and our history and descibes it as the key to life itself, says Vice Admiral Girish Luthra

7:31 pm: I have great faith in this country that we can solve any problem. Just that we have to truthfully table the problems. If we express everything, the conscience of the country can deal with any problem, says Prasoon Joshi.

7:29 pm: I feel when we talk about terrorism the whole world will fight terrorism but India has a ability to find a solution. We can reach to the soul and remove it from its roots. It’s important to fight terrorism but more important to solve it and with right intent we can reach there, says Prasoon Joshi.

7:27 pm: We take a lot of pride in the fact that we create dialogues and we talk about issues but the danger with having a dialogue sometime is that it can become an end in itself and give a quasi-satisfaction of having done something, says Prasoon Joshi.

7:26 pm: Are we fair in having a dialogue? I feel there is a disconnect out there as few are privileged in having a conversation few are privileged and have mastered the art of having arguments.

7:24 pm: It’s important to fight terrorism, but more important to solve it, says Prasoon Joshi.

7:24 pm: For a meaningful dialogue it’s important to listen to that voice which is not trained to have an argument, says Prasoon Joshi.

7:18 pm: We take a lot of pride in moving on, Mumbai is known for its resilience, says Prasoon Joshi.

7:15 pm: I salute security forces, their help saved so many lives, says Prasoon joshi.

Amruta Fadnavis leads a group of students singers.

@fadnavis_amruta moving performance #StoriesofStrength @IndianExpress pic.twitter.com/UEPf99EEVH

— Rashmi Rajput (@RashmiRajput123) November 26, 2017

6:54 pm: Between revenge and letting go, lies our reality, says Anant Goenka.

Guests at the venue.

6:20 pm:

#StoriesOfStrength NSG team comes into Gateway of India venue followed by the Ambassador of Israel pic.twitter.com/sJOVFHkBtb

— The Indian Express (@IndianExpress) November 26, 2017

6:00 pm: Read our full coverage of 26/11 Stories of Strength

Large crowd has gathered outside the Gateway Of Indian in Mumbai to have a glimpse of Big B who will be coming for the event shortly.

View of Gateway Of India from the Taj Hotel in Mumbai. (Photo by: Amit Chakravarty)

Awaiting guests at The Indian Express 26/11 Stories of Strength event. (Photo by Nirmal Harindran)

Indian Express event 26-11 Stories Of Strength begins in some time at Gateway Of India. (Photo: Amit Chakravarty)

5:20 pm: Says Anant Goenka, Executive Director, The Indian Express Group: “The attack on Parliament and 26/11 are two events that have shaped the way modern India thinks of terrorism and violence. As a group that has been documenting a changing India for over 80 years, we recognised that we have rarely ever heard from those directly affected — the survivors — of 26/11. And from our interviews, we have been touched, inspired and awestruck at the courage, the positivity, the maturity and the large-heartedness of each and every one of the survivors we interacted with. We realised that there are many inspiring stories that needed to be told, and it’s our role as a responsible news media group to give voice to these remarkable individuals.”

5:10 pm: From a Mumbai school to a little village, this 10-year-old is still coping with change. Vivek is the son of Mumbai Police constable Ambadas Pawar who died after engaging with terrorists at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus on November 26, 2008. READ FULL STORY

5:10 pm: Police Constable Arun Chitte was hit by a bullet fired by Ajmal Kasab and Abu Ismail. Nine years after the attack, his family does their best to move on. READ THEIR STORY