DW BUREAU / Chandigarh

Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini on Wednesday said suffering endured by those who experienced the horrors of the country's Partition can never be forgotten.

Considering their pain, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on August 15, 2021, had announced from the Red Fort that August 14 would be observed as Partition Horrors Remembrance Day to honor those who sacrificed during the partition. In line with this, the Haryana government from Wednesday began observing this day as a state-level event under the 'Saint Mahapurush Samman Evam Vichar Prachar Prasar Yojana' from Kurukshetra, said Saini.

The Haryana Chief Minister was speaking as the chief guest at the state-level event organised by the Panchanand Memorial Trust on Partition Horrors Remembrance Day.

Saini, paying tribute to those who were killed in the bloodshed following India's Partition, said he prays to the almighty that such unfortunate incidents never occur anywhere in the world.

"The Partition is a tragedy about which almost half of the post-Independence literature is filled. The pain of the Partition can never be forgotten," he said. The Chief Minister said that August 14 is a sorrowful day for the partition of India. In 1947, while the process of India's independence was ongoing, the country was also divided . Thus, we had to pay a heavy price for independence. Not only was our country divided, but lakhs of people on both sides were displaced and many were killed in the riots. Atrocities were committed against mothers and sisters. Even today, remembering that scene makes humanity shudder.

The Chief Minister said that watching a short film on the tragedy of partition during today's program causes us great pain, so one can only imagine what those who endured the tragedy experienced. When incidents heard from our elders emerge vividly in our minds, it sends chills

down our spine.

What a horrific sight it must have been for people to leave their ancestral lands, businesses, and settled homes in one stroke. They had to walk miles on unknown paths, fleeing religious fanaticism, in search of new means of livelihood, said Nayab Singh Saini.

He expressed pride that the brave sons of 'Maa Bharti' did not fear anyone, did not succumb to greed, and prioritized their country, religion, and self-respect, accepting hardships and rebuilding their homes from scratch.

They contributed significantly to the prosperity and well-being of the areas where they settled. Their hard work played a crucial role in economically enriching those regions, said Nayab Singh Saini.

The Chief Minister said that these families and their new generations have also played a notable role in Haryana's development. The developed Haryana we see today owes much to the sweat of those hard working people.

No matter where they settled in the country, their region experienced particular prosperity, thanks to their patriotism, honesty, dedication, and commitment, said Nayab Singh Saini.

The Chief Minister said that this day not only conveys a message of brotherhood but also reminds us that when the threads of social unity break, the country can also be torn apart.

The Prime Minister's announcement of observing this day was intended for Indians to learn from history and commit to national unity for a golden future.

The land of Haryana has endured the pain of partition more than others. Many families from here went to Pakistan, and the number of families displaced from Western Punjab at that time is higher compared to other states, said Nayab Singh.

The Chief Minister said that a world-class Shaheedi Samarak is being built in the village of Masana in Kurukshetra to preserve the memories of the partition and teach the new generations about mutual love and harmony.

Approximately Rs. 200 crores will be spent on this memorial. The Panchanand Memorial Trust has donated 25 acres of land for this purpose. Similarly, a memorial chowk has also been established in Jhajjar. The Chief Minister announced a grant of Rs. 51 lakhs from his discretionary fund for the Shaheedi Samarak.
(editor@dailyworld.in)