Ahead of the 75th year of India’s Independence Day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi set August 14 as the Partition Horrors Remembrance Day. The Indian Prime Minister took to Twitter to make the announcement as a day to remember and honour of the people who lost their lives and livelihoods in the aftermath of the India-Pakistan partition.
Details
The entire nation on August 15 will be drenched in patriotism as India will be celebrating the 75th year of its Independence Day. On the special day, Prime Minister Modi will be addressing the country from the iconic Red Fort, continuing the long-lasting tradition of giving I-Day speech on the ramparts of the iconic Indian monument. It will be PM Modi’s 8th consecutive Independence Day speech, with the first one coming in 2014.
Taking to Twitter, Prime Minister Modi wrote, “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.”
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
He further added, “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.”
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
It should be noted that from 2021, India will be observing Partition Horrors Remembrance Day on the same day as its neighbour Pakistan, with which it parted in 1947, celebrates its own Independence Day.
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The Blood-Smeared Significance of India-Pak Partition
With countless debates, hundreds of books, and multiple evolving perspectives, the Indo-Pak partition has one common sentiment across the board– it was one of the biggest human caused natural calamity the world saw in recent history. Other than genocide, wars and famine, the Indo-Pak partition saw the biggest movement of an entire populous of a country.
Independence According to Lord Mountbatten’s Plan
Similar to most travesties, the Indo-Pak partition was primarily caused by the action of the colonizers. Under Lord Mountbatten’s released plan, India received its independence on June 3, 1947. Then came series of decisions taken by leaders that had consequences on millions of people.
Lord Mountbatten, India's last Viceroy, released a plan on the country's independence from the British on June 3, 1947. The plan, also known as the Mountbatten Plan, came to be celebrated as the 'last plan for independence'. pic.twitter.com/v3RMUZVeIV
— The Partition Museum (@PartitionMuseum) June 4, 2021
According to Mountbatten Plan, the entire country of India would be split into two nations. The plan announced a complete autonomy and sovereignty to both India and Pakistan. This led to perhaps the biggest populous movement India ever saw.
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Millions Uprooted, Abducted, Killed
Several millions of people were displayed as they were forced to choose sides. Many more were killed as a result of riots in India. While the official numbers are still argued upon, about 12 million people suddenly became refugees and were forced to move from one independent state to other.
Immeasurably grateful to PM @narendramodi for recognising the horrors of Partition in 1947. My father was among Hindu Bengalis who came from East Pakistan and suffered immensely. As a refugee legatee, I am overwhelmed by PM dedicating 14 August as #PartitionHorrorsRemembranceDay pic.twitter.com/HGvmI0Tn6x
— Kanchan Gupta 🇮🇳 (@KanchanGupta) August 14, 2021
More than a million people were killed as the brutal aftermath of the partition with thousands of women from both the sides were abducted and raped. Punjab, in particular was rocked by the migration. Earlier, Hindus, Sikhs and Muslims had lived together for multiple generations, and after partition, Muslims headed straight to Pakistan and Hindus made their way to the eastern regions of India.
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Post-Partition Indo-Pak Relations
Since partition, the relations between India and Pakistan have been strained and have deteriorated over the years. While former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee single handedly tried to iron out the wrinkles, his efforts were in vain.
To this day, the legacy of partition is alive, throbbing and tainted in blood.
