Bhubaneswar: Asserting that the younger generations must be made aware of the human cost of the partition, chief minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Friday said the observance of Partition Horrors Remembrance Day, however, should not be limited to recalling a painful episode from the country’s past but should serve as a day of resolve to strengthen the commitment towards national unity and integrity.“The younger generations must be made aware of the human cost of the partition. The subject has found a place in textbooks so that students can understand the events and lessons associated with the country’s division,” he said, stressing the need to preserve historical memory.Addressing a state-level programme here, Majhi described the 1947 partition as one of the darkest chapters in India’s history and highlighted the immense human suffering associated with it. “The division of the country was not merely drawing of borders; it triggered one of the largest human migrations in history,” he said.Citing historical estimates, the chief minister said around 15 million people were forced to leave their homes during partition, while between 5-20 lakh lost their lives in related communal violence. Thousands of women were abducted, assaulted and subjected to inhuman atrocities during the period, he added, also referring to the blood trains and ghost trains that arrived filled with bodies.“The trauma of partition continues to live on in the memories of affected families and their descendants,” said the CM, attributing the partition to the then British govt’s divide-and-rule policy.The chief minister also highlighted the achievements of several refugees who migrated to India during partition, including former deputy prime minister L K Advani, former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and legendary athlete Milkha Singh, saying they overcame adversity through hard work and determination.On the occasion, Ekamra MLA Babu Singh said this history should never be forgotten because it carries important lessons for future generations.
