NEW DELHI, August 14: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said that in memory of the struggles and sacrifices of “our people”, August 14 will be observed as ‘Partition Horrors Remembrance Day’ or ‘Vibhajan Vibhishika Smriti Diwas’.
The Prime Minister hoped that the “observance will not only inspire us to eliminate the poison of discrimination, animosity and ill-will, but it will also strengthen unity, social harmony and human sensibilities”.
Taking to Twitter, he said: “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.
“May the Partition Horror Remembrance Day 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.”
It is estimated that between one to two million people died during the partition of the country in 1947.
The most violent clashes were centred around Punjab, where the Muslim population of East Punjab was forcibly expelled.
The partition displaced between 10 and 20 million people along religious lines, creating overwhelming refugee crises in the newly constituted dominions.
Some 15 million people crossed into the newly-created borders during the violent partition.
At times, mobs targeted and killed passengers travelling in either direction; the trains carrying their corpses became known as “ghost trains”.
IANS