And, you know, I have to say that the commandos that faced this were very courageous people. Those who lost their lives in this, I think really gave their lives for the job they had.
And the reason I say that we got cooperation is that the commandos really did whatever they could, given what they had. And they paid a penalty for it in terms of loss of life of some of their leaders -- very good officers.
And the staff also went far beyond the call of duty to serve the guests. So, on the whole, I would say that we really are very grateful for the people that did what they did.
And the whole affair is just devastating, because it was so well planned and it did so much damage. It took such a loss of life. People were shot point-blank. They were -- they sprayed bullets from automatic weapons. They lobbed grenades.
And they did this for three days. And that's truly devastating. I understand the top floor of the hotel is gutted.
But we're all committed that we will build back this hotel to what it is. However long it takes, whatever it takes, this hotel will stand.
I can only say that it somehow epitomizes the will of my great-grandfather, because it stood up to all the abuse it has. And we will have it in shape, hopefully, for another 100 years.
Image: The Indian national flag is held aloft by a person as people from different walks of life gather in front of the Gateway of India during a peace rally in memory of those killed in the terror attack outside the Taj Mahal hotel in Mumbai November 30, 2008. | Photograph: Indranil Mukherjee/AFP/Getty Images
Also read: Milestones mark Chidambaram's tenure as FM
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