Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday announced that August 14, a day before Independence Day, will be observed as Partition Horrors Remembrance Day. PM Modi said, "Partition's pains can never be forgotten. Millions of our sisters and brothers were displaced and many lost their lives due to mindless hate and violence. In memory of the struggles and sacrifices of our people, 14th August will be observed as Partition Horrors Remembrance Day."
Pakistan celebrates its independence on August 14 every year.
PM Modi said that this day will serve as a reminder to remove the social divisions and it will strengthen the spirit of oneness.
"May the #PartitionHorrorsRemembranceDay keep reminding us of the need to remove the poison of social divisions, disharmony and further strengthen the spirit of oneness, social harmony and human empowerment," he said in another tweet.
The partition of India and Pakistan resulted in the mass movement of people on both sides, west and east. (East Pakistan is now Bangladesh). The movement of people that historians described as 'largest political migration in human history' displaced around 15 million people from their homes. It was also one of the most violent human migration as at least a million were murdered in communal riots.
While, on the east side, large-scale violence was witnessed in West Bengal's Noakhali and Bihar.