August 14: Partition Horrors Remembrance Day

India commemorated “Partition Horrors Remembrance Day” on August 14. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had announced to observe this day in 2021.  August 14 also marks Independence Day in Pakistan. India was partitioned into India and Pakistan on August 14, 1947. This event had led to violence, communal riots and loss of property. It is considered as most violent and abrupt displacements in world’s history because;

• Britain wanted to leave India as soon as possible after World War II because its own condition was deteriorating. Earlier, governor-general Lord Mountbatten supposed to make India independent by June 1948. But he decided to advance the date.
• Cyril Radcliffe was appointed to redraw the boundaries of India and Pakistan. He had never been to India before.
• Thus, boundaries of new nations were created in a hurry that lacked planning.
• It ultimately led to “horrors of Partition” due to administrative flux, and massive communal riots.
• This event had resulted into displacement of 10 to 20 million people and death of around 2 million people.

To commemorate this, Indian government decided to observe “Partition Horrors Remembrance Day” on the line on “Holocaust Remembrance Day”. The objective of observing such days is to reflect and learn lessons from them in a bid to avoid any such events in future. It also seeks to honour the memory of victims.

Month: Current Affairs - August, 2022

Category: Important Days & Events Current Affairs