Gujarat Guv, CM remember Partition victims on eve of I-Day

Amreli, Aug 14 (IANS) Amreli remembered the suffering of millions displaced by the partition of India in 1947 on Friday, with Gujarat Governor Acharya Devvrat and Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel calling for the lessons of the tragedy to be carried forward to preserve the country’s unity and integrity.

The state-level ‘Vibhajan Vibhishika Smriti Diwas’ programme was held on the eve of the 80th Independence Day celebrations in Amreli.

At the beginning of the programme, the Governor, the Chief Minister and other dignitaries observed two minutes of silence in memory of those who lost their lives during Partition.

Addressing the gathering, Governor Devvrat said the “inhuman atrocities and horrific scenes” of the 1947 Partition remained deeply painful.

“Lakhs of children, women and elderly people lost their lives, homes and families during the upheaval,” he said.

Referring to Lord Ram’s victory over Lanka, the Governor said that one’s mother and motherland were greater than heaven.

He paid tribute to families displaced during Partition who overcame severe hardships, rebuilt their lives and contributed to the country’s development through their hard work.

Devvrat said ‘Vibhajan Vibhishika Smriti Diwas’, observed every year under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership, was intended to remember the suffering caused by Partition and encourage younger generations to learn from that history.

He stressed that preserving national unity, integrity and brotherhood was essential to building a strong India.

Chief Minister Patel recalled that India became independent on August 15, 1947, but the country had been partitioned a day earlier.

He described Partition as a deeply tragic event that divided the country and separated countless families, with many people forced to leave their homes, land and generations-old relationships overnight and become refugees.

Patel said the country had paid a heavy price for independence and noted that August 14 had been observed as ‘Vibhajan Vibhishika Smriti Diwas’ since 2021 to remember the tragedy of Partition and ensure that its painful memories and sacrifices remained alive for present and future generations.

“Honouring history and sacrifice is essential for building a strong future,” Patel said, adding that just as the country remembered the heroes of the freedom struggle, it was also a moral duty to pay tribute to the millions of innocent people who suffered during Partition.

The Chief Minister linked the remembrance of Partition with the country’s present development journey, saying India was moving forward with the resolve of ‘Ek Bharat, Shreshtha Bharat’ and the principles of ‘Sauno Saath, Sauno Vikas, Sauno Vishwas and Sauno Prayas’.

With 2047 marking 100 years of independence, Patel referred to the Prime Minister’s goal of ‘Viksit Bharat-2047’ and called upon citizens to incorporate the ‘Panch Pran’ into their lives.

These included setting ambitious goals, freeing oneself from the mindset of slavery, taking pride in India’s cultural heritage, working for national unity beyond caste and religious differences, and sincerely fulfilling one’s responsibilities and duties.

District In-charge and Agriculture Minister Jitu Vaghani said the pain and horrors of Partition were difficult to comprehend.

“Independence had brought joy, while Partition had brought deep sorrow, and that the younger generation needed to learn from both experiences,” he said.

Vaghani said PM Modi had brought the memories of the historic event before the country and the world so that present and future generations would remember its history.

Before the programme, the Governor, Chief Minister and other officials visited a special exhibition depicting the struggles and suffering associated with Partition.

A representative of a family affected by Partition also shared an account of the difficulties endured by those who experienced the upheaval.

The programme included a theatrical presentation portraying the horrors of Partition.

Senior government officials and many citizens also attended the programme, held a day before Amreli hosts the state-level celebration of the 80th Independence Day.

–IANS

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