Partition Horrors Remembrance Day Observed in Naharlagun with Call to Reject Hatred
Speakers at the Naharlagun commemoration urged young people to learn from the human suffering of Partition and protect India’s unity, peace and communal harmony.
NAHARLAGUN- The Department of Art & Culture, Government of Arunachal Pradesh, observed Partition Horrors Remembrance Day (PHRD) at the Directorate of Art and Culture auditorium in Naharlagun on Friday, with the commemoration focusing on the human cost of the 1947 Partition and the need to preserve unity and communal harmony.
Held under the aegis of the Ministry of Culture, Government of India, the programme brought together government officials, educators and students to remember those who lost their lives or were displaced during Partition. The proceedings began with Vande Mataram and the National Anthem, followed by a moment of silence for the victims.
The central message of the commemoration was directed towards the younger generation: the suffering caused by Partition should serve as a warning against hatred and divisive forces.
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Chief Guest Ratan Anya, Chairperson of the Arunachal Pradesh State Commission for Protection of Child Rights and Oju Welfare Mission, emphasised that the celebrations of Independence Day should not obscure the mass displacement and loss of life that accompanied the period surrounding independence.
She described Partition as more than a historical episode, stressing the experiences of ordinary families who were uprooted and forced to become refugees. Anya also shared a personal recollection from her university days in Delhi, when she encountered an elderly survivor who recounted losing family members and fleeing Punjab for India.
Addressing students and young people, Anya urged them to cultivate kindness, learn from the past and remain vigilant against forces that seek to divide communities. She stressed that rejecting hatred is essential to maintaining peace and communal harmony.
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Guest of Honor Gijum Tali, Director of Information and Public Relations, reflected on the historical circumstances that led to the division of the country under colonial rule. He highlighted India’s strength in “Unity in Diversity” and cited Arunachal Pradesh as an example of peaceful coexistence among diverse communities.
Delivering the keynote address, Secretary of Art & Culture Mamta Riba placed PHRD in its national context, noting that the observance was first designated by the Prime Minister in 2021. She linked the remembrance day to international commemorations associated with the preservation of peace, describing it as an occasion to reinforce national unity and social cohesion.
The programme also featured the screening of a historical documentary on Partition Horrors Remembrance Day, providing participants with a visual account of the period. The formal session concluded with a vote of thanks by DACO (HQ) Taba Yashika.
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Following the formal proceedings, the Chief Guest and Guest of Honor, along with Secretary Mamta Riba, led a walkthrough of a Partition exhibition specially arranged at the venue.
The commemoration ultimately placed the memory of Partition within a contemporary civic message: remembering the consequences of division while strengthening the values of unity, peace and social cohesion.
