August 14: Partition Horrors Remembrance Day

Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced on August 14, 2021 that, August 14 would now be observed as “Partition Horrors Remembrance Day”.

Key Points

• The day would be observed every year to commemorate the “struggles and sacrifices” of millions of people who were displaced and lost their lives during Partition.
• On August 14, Pakistan emerged as a political entity after Partition and is observed as Independence Day of Pakistan.

Significance

This move by Prime Minister becomes significant in the backdrop of situation in Afghanistan and advance of the Taliban raising old spectres in the region.

Partition Horrors Remembrance Day

This day is a national Memorial Day in India, that was announced to be observed on August 14. The day commemorates the victims and sufferings of people during Partition of India. It remembers the sufferings of Indians during partition. The day was announced with the aim of reminding Indians the need of removing social divisions and disharmony. It seeks to further strengthen the spirit of oneness, social harmony and human empowerment.

About Partition

Partition was the division of British India into two independent dominions namely India and Pakistan. These two dominions have gone through further reorganisation. Dominion of India is called as Republic of India. The Dominion of Pakistan was composed of Islamic Republic of Pakistan and People’s Republic of Bangladesh. Partition basically divided two provinces, Bengal and Punjab on the basis of district-wide non-Muslim or Muslim majorities. Partition also led to the division of British Indian Army, Royal Indian Navy, Indian Civil Service, central treasury and railways. The partition was done in accordance to the Indian Independence Act 1947. The act also dissolved the British Raj in India. Dominions of India and Pakistan legally came into existence on 15 August 1947.

Why partition is a horror?

Partition led to the displacement of some 10 and 20 million people on the religious lines, creating a refugee crisis in India and Pakistan. It is marked with large-scale violence that ultimately created an everlasting atmosphere of hostility and suspicion between India and Pakistan.

Month: Current Affairs - August, 2021