National Anti-Terrorism Day is annually observed across India on 21 May to mark the death anniversary of former Prime Minister (PM) Rajiv Gandhi, who was assassinated in 1991 at Sriperumbudur, a village near Chennai, Tamil Nadu.
- National Anti-Terrorism Day aims to educate people about the negative impact of terrorism and violence on society and the nation.
21 May 2024 marks the 33rd death anniversary of the 6th PM of India, Rajiv Gandhi (1984 to 1989).
Significance:
i.This Day raises awareness about the serious consequences of terrorism and emphasises the importance of maintaining peace, unity, and security.
ii.It honours the sacrifices made by victims of terrorism and highlights the ongoing need for vigilance against extremist activities.
iii.On this Day, Government offices, public sector undertakings (PSUs), and other public institutions take an anti-terrorism pledge, reaffirming their commitment to India’s struggle against terrorism.
Background:
In 1992, the Government of India (GoI) decided to observe 21 May as National Anti-Terrorism Day to honour the memory of Rajiv Gandhi.
About Rajiv Gandhi:
i.Rajiv Gandhi was born on August 20, 1944, in Bombay (now Mumbai, Maharashtra).
ii.He was the youngest PM of India at 40, and perhaps even one of the youngest-elected heads of Government in the world.
iii.He rose to power as PM and Congress President following the assassination of his mother and the first woman PM of India, Indira Gandhi in 1984. He served as the PM of India till 1989.
iv.Rajiv Gandhi, the architect of Digital India was hailed as the ‘Father of Information Technology (IT) and Telecom Revolution of India.’
- Under his rule, the Centre for Development of Telematics (C-DOT) was founded in August 1984 to develop state-of-the-art telecommunication technology and meet the needs of the Indian telecommunication network.
v.In 1991, the GoI posthumously awarded him the Bharat Ratna for his contribution to the development of India.
Global Terrorism Index (GTI) 2024:
According to the Global Terrorism Index 2024 (GTI):
i.India climbed one place up to 14th with a score of 6.324 on the GTI compared to 2023.
- The decrease in score placed India within the range of medium impact of terrorism.
ii.India also witnessed a decline of 18 deaths from terrorism in 2022-2023.
About GTI:
i.GTI is an annual report released by the Institute for Economics & Peace (IEP), Sydney, Australia that measures the impact of terrorism globally.
ii.The GTI ranks 163 countries based on 4 indicators weighted over 5 years. Of the 163 countries in the GTI, only 27 have not recorded a single terrorist incident since 2007.
Note: GTI 2024 highlights that terrorism remains a serious global threat, with total deaths from terrorism increased by 22% to 8,352 in 2023, reaching the highest levels since 2017.
