Faridabad to host state-level event honouring Partition victims: CM

Chandigarh: Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini on Tuesday announced that the state-level ‘Vibhajan Vibhishika Smriti Diwas’ will be observed in Faridabad on August 14 to honour the countless known and unknown lives lost during the country’s partition in 1947.

“This is not just a commemoration, but a tribute to our ancestors who endured unimaginable suffering during Partition,” he said while chairing a preparatory meeting in Chandigarh.

Ahead of the state-level function, various programmes will be organised across Haryana over a fortnight to spread awareness about Partition and its impact. The state government will jointly host the commemoration with the Panchnad Trust, where floral tributes will be paid to those who perished during the tragedy.

Urging families to attend, Saini said: “Parents must bring their children so they can understand the sacrifices of their forebears and draw inspiration from their courage and resilience.”

He appealed to the Panchnad Trust to record and preserve the testimonies of surviving witnesses of Partition.

Recalling Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s 2021 announcement, Saini said Partition remains “the greatest human tragedy of the 20th century.”

PM Modi had declared August 14 as ‘Vibhajan Vibhishika Smriti Diwas’ as part of the ‘Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav’ to honour the victims.

He added that the day also carries a deeper message of unity. “It reminds us that when the threads of social cohesion break, the nation suffers. On this day, let every Indian pledge to strengthen harmony, brotherhood and national unity,” he said.

Haryana Vidhan Sabha Deputy Speaker Krishna Lal Middha noted that the sacrifices of Partition victims were ignored for decades. “From Independence till 2014, their pain went largely unacknowledged. It was only after Prime Minister Modi’s announcement that their memories began receiving due recognition,” he said, adding that Haryana has been observing the day since 2022.