PM Modi stressed that the day will serve as a reminder to strengthen the spirit of oneness (File)
Underscoring that pain of Partition can never be forgotten, Prime Minister Narendra Modi today announced that August 14 will be observed as Partition Horrors Remembrance Day, a day before India's celebrates its 75th Independence Day.
Pakistan celebrates its Independence Day on August 14.
"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," tweeted PM Modi.
The Prime Minister stressed that the day will serve as a reminder to keep the social divisions at bay and 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," the PM said in his second tweet.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah has welcomed PM Modi's decision to observe August 14 as Partition Horrors Remembrance Day.
"The wound of the partition of the country and the grief of losing loved ones cannot be described in words. I am sure that Partition Horrors Remembrance Day will strengthen peace, love and unity by eliminating the ill-will of discrimination and malice from society," he said in a tweet in Hindi.
In a notification, the Home Ministry said the people of India, while celebrating "Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav", will salute those sons and daughters of the country who had to sacrifice their lives during the partition of India.
Pakistan was carved out as a Muslim country after the division of India by the British colonial rule in 1947, and millions of people were displaced and many lakhs of them lost their lives as large scale rioting broke out. Noakhali in West Bengal and Bihar witnessed large-scale violence.
Mahatma Gandhi decided to stay put in Noakhali and toured the district in a mission to restore peace and communal harmony.
Partition remains a bitter and painful memory in the history of the two nations.