Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Friday said that the wound of Partition continues to exist as a pain in the collective consciousness of every Indian.
“Decades after partition, their sacrifice reminds us that the wound remains unhealed, lingering as a generational pain in India’s collective soul,” Sinha said while addressing a function organised to observe Partition Horrors Remembrance Day in Srinagar.
The event was marked by collective remembrance and a reaffirmation of national unity. In his address on the occasion, the Lieutenant Governor paid heartfelt tribute to all those citizens who endured unimaginable suffering during the Partition of 1947 and whose sacrifices continue to inspire generations.
“On Partition Horrors Remembrance Day, we are not merely recalling the past, but giving voice to those millions whose voices were taken away from them. I wish to reiterate with firm resolve that we will not allow their pain to be buried in the dust of history,” he said.
“Remembering them is fulfilling our duty towards humanity. We will preserve their memories. Remembering them with complete truthfulness, honesty and utmost sensitivity is the most sacred tribute,” the Lieutenant Governor said, adding, “I believe that their stories are an indelible chapter of our national consciousness, and their sacrifice will forever remain alive in the soul of Mother India.”
The Lieutenant Governor urged the people of the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir to treat the day as an occasion for introspection and national resolve. He called upon the youth, farmers, workers and women to rise with courage and determination and channel the march of time towards progress and harmony.
The Lieutenant Governor praised the resilience of the people who rebuilt their lives with courage and enriched the country’s social fabric and cultural heritage with their historic traditions and values.
“Today’s occasion is an opportunity to acknowledge the pain of the past and strengthen our unwavering commitment to peace, harmony and national unity. This day reminds us that only the lessons of history can make the future secure and humane,” the Lieutenant Governor said.
He noted that Partition divided families and displaced communities from Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir and Chhamb. He also paid tribute to those who faced decades-long discrimination within the Union Territory due to Article 370.
The Lieutenant Governor said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had ended their suffering and granted them equal rights as citizens of the country.
The lieutenant governor also paid tribute to the countless families who made sacrifices during the tribal invasion in the months following Partition.
“Within a few months of Partition, enemies of the nation carried out terror attacks under the cover of tribal invasions. The Indian Army and the people fought bravely. The struggle and sacrifice of countless families are an integral part of the collective memory of Jammu and Kashmir. Today, I humbly pay tribute to the patience, hard work and unbroken patriotism of all those families,” he said.
Addressing the youth, the lieutenant governor emphasised that Partition is not merely a chapter of history but a living memory for millions of families. He urged them to learn from the experiences of the past, reject enmity and communal bitterness, and build bridges of trust. He called upon them to contribute to the construction of a developed India that is inclusive and empowered.
“The youth of Jammu and Kashmir must ensure that the mistakes of the past are never repeated in the future. Where walls were once raised, you must build bridges of trust and construct a Viksit Bharat that is inclusive,” the lieutenant governor said.
The lieutenant governor reminded the gathering that India’s strength lies in its diversity. From Kashmir to Kanyakumari, from Gujarat to Goa, and from Assam to Arunachal Pradesh, India is a confluence of languages, cultures, traditions and beliefs, he said.
“Through Partition, enemies of the nation tried to destroy this spirit of unity in diversity, but India has continuously moved forward with pride and confidence. We must take a pledge to acquaint future generations with the pain of Partition, strengthen peace and harmony, and ensure that such a tragedy is never repeated. Building a self-reliant Jammu and Kashmir is a shared duty, and national unity remains the bedrock of our strength, security and collective progress,” the Lieutenant Governor said.
The lieutenant governor visited the photo exhibition organised to mark Partition Horrors Remembrance Day. A two-minute silence was observed in memory of those who lost their lives during the Partition of India.
The event also featured a moving theatrical performance by artists that brought to light the trauma, hardship and displacement experienced by millions during partition.