Partition Horrors Remembrance Day or ‘Vibhajan Vibhishika Smriti Diwas‘ is annually observed across India on 14th August to remember of the struggles and sacrifices during the partition of India into India and Pakistan in 1947.
The day also remembers the lives lost during the partition and those who were forcibly displaced from their ancestral homes.
- 14th August 2023 marks the 3rd observance of Partition Horrors Remembrance Day.
Background:
On 14th August 2021, Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi announced that 14th August of every year will be observed as “Partition Horrors Remembrance Day” to inspire us to eliminate discrimination, animosity and ill-will and to promote strengthen unity, social harmony and human sensibilities.
The first ever Partition Horrors Remembrance Day was observed on 14th August 2021.
History of the Partition:
The Partition was the division of British India into two independent Dominions: Hindu-majority India and Muslim-majority Pakistan. This resulted in extensive migration, with Muslims heading to Pakistan and Hindus and Sikhs moving to India. This migration was marked by violence, loss of life, and appalling conditions. Women experienced abductions, sexual assaults, and trafficking. People endured hunger, disease, and walked without basic necessities like shelter, food, and water.
- The Partition of India was rooted in the demand for a separate country for Muslims, led by Muhammad Ali Jinnah and the Muslim League.
- In 40 days, the British judge Cyril Radcliffe drew revised boundaries on either side of the Indian subcontinent.
- The Partition of India was announced by Lord Louis Mountbatten on June 3, 1947 who assumed the role of the last viceroy of India on 24 March 1947.
Key Points:
i.The partition caused one of the largest migrations in human history, affecting about 20 million people. Millions of families had to abandon their ancestral villages/towns/cities and were forced to start anew as refugees
ii.The CBSE (Central Board of Secondary Education) has also mandated its affiliate schools to observe August 14 as Partition Horrors Remembrance Day and organise an exhibition to mark the occasion.
Key Points:
i.The two states have since gone through further reorganization: the Dominion of India is today the Republic of India (since 1950); while the Dominion of Pakistan was composed of Islamic Republic of Pakistan (since 1956) and the People’s Republic of Bangladesh (since 1971).
ii.As per Central Government data, 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.
iii.The estimate of those killed has varied from 500,000 to over 1,000,000. The generally accepted figures are around 500,000.
About Pakistan:
Capital– Islamabad
Currency– Pakistani Rupee
Prime Minister– Shehbaz Sharif
