New Delhi, Feb 14 (IANS): Leader of Opposition (LoP) in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi on Friday, paid homage to brave soldiers martyred in the Pulwama terrorist attack in 2019.

"I pay my heartfelt salute and humble tribute to our brave soldiers martyred in the Pulwama terrorist attack. India will never forget his supreme sacrifice," LoP Rahul Gandhi wrote in a post on X on the sixth anniversary of the gruesome attack in which 40 jawans lost their lives.

Saluting the courage and sacrifice of Pulwama martyrs Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge remarked, "As an indebted nation, we salute the indomitable courage and sacrifice of our Pulwama martyrs. Our heartfelt gratitude towards them. Their selfless sacrifice for Bharat Mata shall never be forgotten."

Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra also paid tributes in a post on social media platform X stating, "Salute and heartfelt tribute to our brave soldiers who made the supreme sacrifice in the Pulwama terrorist attack. The country will always be indebted to the brave martyrs and their families. Jai Hind."

A local terrorist of the Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) terror group rammed his explosive-laden car into an CRPF convoy in the Lethpora area of Pulwama district killing 40 troopers of the force on February 14, 2019.

It was in retaliation to the Pulwama terror attack that the Indian Air Force carried out bombings of terror training camps deep inside the Pakistani side of the Line of Control (LoC) in the Balakote area.

The retaliation decision taken by Prime Minister Narendra Modi was made after considering all the eventualities of such a step.

India and Pakistan had virtually been brought face to face in a warlike situation by the Pulwama terror attack.

Although Pakistan had denied that any damage had been caused by the Indian Air Force bombings of 2019, yet it ate a humble pie by failing to resist or respond to the blitzkrieg by the force.