Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday honoured the memory of those who suffered during the Partition of India in 1947, calling it a “painful chapter” in the nation’s history.
In a post on X, Singh recalled the “horrific consequences of hatred and violence” that followed the division, resulting in immense loss of life and property. “On Partition Horrors Remembrance Day, recalling that painful chapter of 1947, I pay tribute to all those brothers and sisters who had to endure the horrific consequences of hatred and violence following India’s partition and witnessed the loss of life and property,” he wrote. He reaffirmed the government’s commitment to strengthening social harmony, adding, “Even today, every Indian feels empathy for those affected families.”
Earlier, Union Home Minister Amit Shah also marked the day by paying homage to the millions impacted by the tragedy. Condemning the division of the nation, Shah wrote on X, “#PartitionHorrorsRemembranceDay is a day to express condolences by remembering the pain of those who suffered due to the partition of the country and its tragedy. On this day, the Congress party divided the nation into pieces, hurting the pride of Mother India. The partition led to violence, exploitation, and atrocities, and millions of people endured displacement.” He stressed that the country “will never forget” the history and pain of Partition.
Observed annually on August 14, Partition Horrors Remembrance Day honours the victims and survivors of one of history’s largest forced migrations, when millions were displaced and countless lives were lost during India’s independence and partition in 1947.