Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Friday said the state government has decided to organize a state-level programme to observe August 14 as Partition Horrors Remembrance Day (Vibhajan Vibhishika Smriti Diwas) at Kurukshetra.
He said this state-level programme would be attended by the people coming from every corner of the state and would be made aware of the supreme sacrifices of all those who lost their lives due to the partition.
The day is being observed to give a fitting tribute to all those who lost their lives and were displaced in one of the most horrific tragedies in human history. Khattar’s declaration is made in view of the announcement made by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to observe August 14 as Partition Horrors Remembrance Day.
“Though every year August 15, is celebrated as a joyous and proud occasion but with the sweetness of freedom, the country had to also bear the trauma of partition. Because of the hatred and violence, lakhs of our sisters and brothers lost their lives and many were displaced from their roots. The pain of partition can never be forgotten. No partition is devoid of tribulations but the story of India has been more painful and traumatic,” said Khattar.
The CM said through Partition Horrors Remembrance Day, the present generation and the coming generations will always be inspired to remember those who suffered great pain and sacrificed their lives during the partition, before celebrating the country’s independence.
To observe this memory, Partition Memorials (Vibhajan Vibhishika Smarak) are being built at different places in the state. The country’s world-class ‘Shaheedi Smarak’ is being built in the Masana village of Kurukshetra at a cost of Rs. 200 crores. For this humanitarian work, Panchnad Smarak Trust has announced to donate 25 acres of land to the government. One such ‘Samarak’ has been built at Badkhal in Faridabad, the CM informed .
“Partition Horrors Remembrance Day will remind us that peace, unity and communal harmony are the pillars of a nation,” Khattar said.
“This day will inspire us to remove the poison of social divisions and disharmony and to strengthen the spirit of unity, social harmony, and human empowerment. If the spirit of oneness increases, then the disharmony will automatically be removed from society. Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam is the core value of Indian culture. Each one of us has to rise above caste, creed and religion,” he added.