As India commemorates its 77th Independence Day on 15 August 2023, the day marks 76 years of freedom from the British Raj. While on one hand it basked in the glory of independence in 1947, a brutal partition rocked the nation cleaving its territory on religious lines into two. The blood-marked event, that led to the formation of a secular India and a Muslim-dominated Pakistan, witnessed millions sacrificing their lives as thousand others migrated from one country to the other.
India observes 14 August as Partition Horrors Remembrance Day to honour those who were displaced or lost their lives due to mindless hate and violence. Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the event on this date in 2021. In a tweet, the PM wrote that the day would be marked ‘in memory of our people’s struggles and sacrifices’.
Check out the tweet:
Partition’s pains can never be forgotten. Millions of our sisters and brothers were displaced and many lost their lives due to mindless hate and violence. In memory of the struggles and sacrifices of our people, 14th August will be observed as Partition Horrors Remembrance Day.
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) August 14, 2021
In addition, the prime minister reminded citizens of the need to ‘remove the poison of social divisions, disharmony and further strengthen the spirit of oneness, social harmony and human empowerment’ on Partition Horrors Remembrance Day.
May the #PartitionHorrorsRemembranceDay keep reminding us of the need to remove the poison of social divisions, disharmony and further strengthen the spirit of oneness, social harmony and human empowerment.
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) August 14, 2021
History
The partition of India was rooted in the demand for a separate country for Muslims, led by Muhammad Ali Jinnah and the Muslim League. It took British judge Cyril Radcliffe just 40 days to draw over 6,000 km of revised boundaries on either side of the Indian subcontinent. This unprecedented event resulted in millions losing their lives or migrating by foot or on blood-filled trains. India’s partition is associated with the grave violence surrounding communal riots, loss of property, and extreme upheaval in the weeks and months following the nation’s independence on 15 August 1947.
Based on the government’s documents, about 6 million non-Muslims moved out from West Pakistan and 6.5 million Muslims moved out from the Indian part of Punjab, Delhi and other regions, into West Pakistan.
Significance
The Partition is acknowledged as one of the most violent and abrupt displacements in the recent history of the world. The motive behind Partition Horrors Remembrance Day is to recall and reflect on the dreadful tragedy. It is also to learn lessons so as to never repeat such event in the future.
from Firstpost India Latest News https://ift.tt/cJHjOV9
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