Bhubaneswar: Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi Friday attributed the Partition to the British government’s “divide and rule” policy and what he described as the “wrong decisions” of the Muslim League and the Congress leadership of the time.
Addressing a state government programme to observe Partition Horrors Remembrance Day, Majhi said lakhs of people were killed, and thousands of women were subjected to sexual violence during the Partition.
“The Partition took place due to the ‘divide and rule’ policy of the British government and the narrow personal interests and lust for power of the political leadership of the time. The decisions of the Muslim League and the Congress at that time were the main reasons for the Partition,” he said.
Expressing concern over what he described as the “mistakes” that led to one of the world’s largest mass displacements, Majhi said the consequences of Partition were still being felt.
He referred to the migration of several prominent personalities, including BJP veteran LK Advani, former prime minister Manmohan Singh and athlete Milkha Singh, who came to India as refugees and went on to achieve prominent positions through their work.
In contrast, he said, Muslims who migrated to Pakistan continued to face discrimination there, including being referred to as “Mohajirs”.
Majhi said the suffering and trauma associated with Partition continued to affect subsequent generations.
“This day is not merely an occasion to remember a painful chapter of the past. We should also take a pledge to observe it as a day of resolve for the unity and integrity of the country,” he said.
The Partition was not merely a demarcation of boundaries between two countries but resulted in one of the largest migrations in human history, he added.
Majhi said subjects related to Partition had been included in NCERT textbooks to help young people understand the events and their consequences without being misled.
The chief minister urged people to celebrate Independence Day on Saturday with a sense of pride while remaining vigilant to protect the country’s sovereignty, security, unity and integrity and ensure that such a tragedy was never repeated.
PTI