Wednesday, November 09, 2005

A day of rememberance - 1947 India Pakistan Partition

August 1947 gave birth to two new nations in the world - India and Pakistan. India under the British Raj was divided into two nations after they left from India.

The new border displaced around 10 million Hindus, Muslims and Sikhs. One of the largest exodus facing humankind, also created one of the largest riots and massacres rivalled only by the extermination of jews by the nazis.

Almost 1 million people were killed and the seeds of revenge and hatred have been sowed ever since. Entire train loads of butchered people were sent across the border with the train engineer being the sole survivor, with the responsibility of carrying the carcasses over to the other side.

Mahatma Gandhi, who observed fasts unto deaths in Calcutta and prevented riots in the east. Unfortunately that message wasn't picked up in the Punjab where scores of innocent were hacked and butchered to death.

Ironically Gandhi, who was the only Indian politician who was opposed to partition, forecasted this scenario and saved countless lives in his own unique non violent way was blamed for partition. He was one of the final victims claimed by partition.

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