Bollywood megastar Amitabh Bachchan on Monday emphasised the power of solidarity and said as long as people remain united, "cowards and parasites" could not break them.
The actor was speaking at the iconic Gateway of India here on the 10th anniversary of the 26/11 terror attacks.
Bachchan said as long as people remain divided, the terrorists would remain "resilient in their efforts to divide us". "We have drawn lines, continents and nations on this planet, but our planet is one. We have drafted scores of faiths and beliefs, but humankind is one, humanity is one. Our oneness, our unity, our singularity is not limited to fighting terror and anti-social ideologies.
"Our singularity is too vast to be shaped by limited horizons. Our solidarity is too strong to be broken by cowards and parasites. We must define ourselves not by what we are against, but by what we are for, and what can we be for, if we aren't for each other," he said.
Bachchan was speaking at the third edition of '26/11 Stories of Strength' by Indian Express.
The dream today, the actor said, is to reignite the power of love and oneness among people. "On this very day, at the same place last year, we pledged that we would never give shelter to terror, determined that this parasite called terrorism shall never breed in our homes. Today, we want our dream to be realised, to reawaken to the power of love and of oneness."
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said the country had never attacked anyone as it walks on the path of truth. "The way the attacks happened, the memories are still fresh in our minds... We all saw how India and Mumbai showed determination after the attacks. We were all most inspired by the stories of people who lost their loved ones.
"I believe the strength of our society is, no matter how many attempts to attack are made on us, we won't lose because we walk on the path of truth. India never attacked anyone, never pushed someone towards terrorism. It is this power of truth which will keep us undefeated," he said.
Also present at the event were Railway Minister Piyush Goyal, poet-writer Javed Akhtar, singer Javed Ali among others.
You’ve reached your limit of {{free_limit}} free articles this month.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
Already subscribed? Log in
Subscribe to read the full story →
Smart Quarterly
₹900
3 Months
₹300/Month
Smart Essential
₹2,700
1 Year
₹225/Month
Super Saver
₹3,900
2 Years
₹162/Month
Renews automatically, cancel anytime
Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans
Exclusive premium stories online
Over 30 premium stories daily, handpicked by our editors


Complimentary Access to The New York Times
News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic
Business Standard Epaper
Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share


Curated Newsletters
Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox
Market Analysis & Investment Insights
In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor


Archives
Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997
Ad-free Reading
Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements


Seamless Access Across All Devices
Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app
)