Odisha Governor Hari Babu Kambhampati, observing the Partition Horrors Remembrance Day on Thursday, August 14, called upon the citizens to reject hatred and strengthen unity with compassion and tolerance.
The ceremony was held at the New Abhishek Hall of Raj Bhavan on the eve of India’s Independence Day.
Addressing the event, the Governor described the partition as a “tragic chapter” in the nation’s history, noting that millions of people were forced to abandon their homes and start new lives.
“We solemnly remember this Partition, which came with our hard-won freedom. With unimaginable pain, millions of people left their homes, lands and centuries-old shared lives and crossed the new border to India,” Kambhampati said.
He stressed that the day is not about reopening old wounds but about learning from the past to strengthen peace and mutual respect. The governor commended Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s initiative to ensure future generations understand the sacrifices and lessons of partition
“Partition’s wounds left deep scars that continue to influence our politics and perceptions. Yet the politics of hate must never divide our hearts again. Unity must be nurtured through tolerance, empathy, and justice,” the Governor said.
Despite being geographically distant from the main areas affected by the partition, the Governor highlighted that Odisha showed a compassionate response by opening its doors to those who were displaced.
“This spirit of humanity is woven into our State’s moral fabric,” he said.
To foster unity and inclusivity, the Governor urged the youth to remember that “division destroys while unity builds.” He called on them to strengthen their resolve to stand together, ensuring such a dark period in history never returns.
The programme, organised on the eve of India’s 79th Independence Day, was attended by Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, and Minister of Higher Education, Sports and Youth Services, Odia Language, Literature and Culture, Government of Odisha, Suryabanshi Suraj. The first woman of the state, Jayashree Kambhampati, also attended the event.
Speaking at the event at Raj Bhavan, the Chief Minister echoed similar sentiments, highlighting the emotional toll of the partition, which he said “broke the hearts of millions of Indians.”
Majhi emphasized that while borders were redrawn, the spirit of brotherhood and love among Indians could not be divided. He urged the public to use social media to spread truth and unity, not hatred.
“Boundaries on a map can change, but unity in our hearts cannot be broken. Indians have always placed brotherhood, love, and respect above all else, and no external force can defeat us.”
Earlier in the day, CM Majhi, during his address in another programme on the Partition Horrors Remembrance Day organised by the Bharatiya Itihas Sankalan Samiti at Jayadev Bhavan in Bhubaneswar, stated that while Partition brought immense pain, it also imparted invaluable lessons in resilience and national unity.
“The communal hatred and violence of Partition shook the nation, yet Indian nationalism never accepted defeat,” the Chief Minister said in his address.
Pradhan stated that the celebration of Independence Day would be incomplete without remembering the “pain and immense loss” of August 14, 1947. He said that understanding this history is essential for the nation’s future. Similarly, Minister Suryavansi Suraj described the partition as a “great human transformation” and stressed the importance of making the younger generation aware of its history.
