August 14 : Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh said here today that the partition of the Indian subcontinent in 1947 was the gravest mistake and the greatest tragedy of history.
Addressing a programme held here today in connection with countrywide commemoration of ‘Vibhajan Vibhishika’ dedicated to the victims of partition, Dr. Jitendra Singh said, with 75 years having passed and three generations down the line, now is the time to keep our children informed about the horrors of partition and the factors that led to it, in spite of the fact that it could have been avoided.
Holding Jawaharlal Nehru and Mohmad Ali Jinnah, the two most important individuals responsible for bringing about the partition of India, Dr Jitendra Singh said, the lust of power and the urge to become the Head of the State was so overwhelming to them that they allowed the partition to happen even when common citizen of India, whether a Hindu or a Muslim, was not in favour of this. He recalled “Progressive Writers Forum” which was at that time constituted by some well known Muslim intellectuals and writers like Ali Sardar Jafri, Kaifi Azmi and others who were vehemently opposed to the idea of having a separate Pakistan based on the so called “Two Nation Theory”.
The Radcliffe line that divided India into two parts, said Dr Jitendra Singh, was arbitrarily drawn leading to the biggest ever exchange of population between India and Pakistan, and casualties numbering more than 10 to 20 lakhs. While the refugees coming from Pakistan had to start life afresh and struggle for living wherever they took shelter in India, the refugees who chose to settle in Jammu & Kashmir had to face a double ordeal because while their counterparts taking refuge elsewhere in India were homeless, those sailing in J&K found themselves both homeless as well as citizen-less because of Article 370.
Crediting Prime Minister Narendra Modi for seeking to vindicate the sins of the past, Dr Jitendra Singh said, it was courage of conviction of Prime Minister Modi which led to the abrogation of article 370 and restoration of the rights of the Pakistan refugees in Jammu & Kashmir. Since Modi has the sensitivity, he feels the pain and agony through which these families went through, it was he who as Prime Minister decided to observe August 14 every year the Partition Horrors Remembrance Day.
Dr Jitendra Singh said, the purpose of observing this day should be to tell our future generations of not falling to such vested interests who are still operating in different forms of separatism in the guise of “Bharat Tere Tukde-Tukde gang” or self-centred secessionists who do not hesitate to receive support from enemy across the border.
Describing Hiranagar as the land of martyrs, Dr Jitendra Singh said, while the whole country is today observing this day, for us living in Jammu & Kashmir, it becomes a bigger responsibility since we are entrusted to carry forward the legacy of great nationalists, Syama Prasad Mukherjee and Pandit Prem Nath Dogra.
Earlier, in a solemn ceremony, Dr Jitendra Singh honoured 9 families of the partition victims and martyrs of 1947. He also unveiled a plaque in the local panchayat to commemorate “Partition Remembrance Day” (Vibhajan Vibhishika Diwas).
Later, all the prominent local citizens led by Dr Jitendra Singh took out a silent memory procession as a mark of respect to the victims of partition.
Chairman Hiranagar Municipal Committee Advocate Vijay Sharma, introduced the subject and also praised Dr Jitendra Singh. Prominent among others who spoke on the occasion include Chairman DDC Col(Retd) Mahan Singh, Vice Chairman DDC Raghunandan Singh, Deputy Commissioner Udhampur Rajesh Minhas, former MLA Kuldep Raj, former Board Chairman Rashpal Verma, BJP District President Gopal Mahajan, prominent local leaders including Prem Nath Dogra, Asha Nand Khajuria, Rajinder Bakshi and others.
Later, all the prominent local citizens led by Dr Jitendra Singh took out a silent memory procession as a mark of respect to the victims of partition.