Born to parents who bore the brunt, scars: Hardeep Singh Puri on Partition Horrors Remembrance Day
New Delhi, Aug 14
On Partition Horrors Remembrance Day, Union Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Hardeep Singh Puri on Friday said that he was born to parents who bore the brunt of Partition and carried its scars throughout their lives. He said he grew up with a deeply personal understanding of the anguish endured by those who were uprooted from their homes and separated from their land under the most harrowing circumstances.
Hardeep Singh Puri took to social media 'X' and said, "The Partition of our country will always be remembered as one of the most brutal, painful and violent human tragedies to unfold. The stories associated with this dark phase of history will live on in the memories of generations to come."
"Born to parents who bore the brunt and scars of Partition, I have grown up with a deeply personal understanding of the anguish of those who were uprooted from their homes and torn away from their land under the most harrowing circumstances," he said.
He remembered all those who lost their lives to the violence and said, "On Partition Horrors Remembrance Day, I remember all those who lost their lives to the violence and carnage that accompanied Partition. I also pay tribute to the countless survivors, including my own parents and several members of our family, who lost everything, and to many others, like my father, who escaped to India with nothing but the clothes they were wearing."
He further said that despite all this, his father showed indomitable courage and rebuilt their lives from scratch.
"Yet they showed indomitable courage and rebuilt their lives from scratch. Their stories are a poignant reminder of the extraordinary resilience and strength of ordinary people who endured unimaginable suffering.
May we remember their pain with empathy, honour their resilience with humility, and ensure that the horrors they witnessed are never forgotten," he added.
Partition was not merely the drawing of a boundary line. It meant homes uprooted, memories shattered, relationships broken, and a centuries-old shared culture wounded.
August 15, 1947, gave India its independence, but along with the dawn of that freedom, millions of lives were plunged into a darkness that would last for generations.
— IANS
Reader Comments
Partition changed the course of millions of lives. My grandfather used to say that the pain of leaving your own home, your own land, is something that never fully heals. It's good that the government is observing this day to honour the victims and survivors. Their resilience is what built modern India.
This touched me. My great-aunt was among the survivors who lost everything. She rebuilt her life in Delhi with sheer determination. Hearing stories about that era is heartbreaking but necessary. We owe it to their memory to keep the history alive for younger generations. ❤️
Absolutely right. Partition was indeed one of the darkest chapters in our history. While it's painful to remember, forgetting would be a disrespect to those who suffered. The stories of ordinary people showing extraordinary courage are what shaped our nation's character. We must never let the horrors be repeated or forgotten.
Puri's personal connection to the Partition tragedy adds a powerful perspective to the commemoration. It's a reminder that history is never just dates and events; it's the lived experience of families and individuals. Honoring their memory with empathy is exactly what we should do.
Partition is a painful chapter but remembering it is crucial so that such violence is never repeated. The courage of those who rebuilt their lives with nothing is a testament to human resilience. Salute to all those who braved through it and worked to build our country.
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.