ABVP observes 'Partition Horrors Day' in Kerala campuses despite ban
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Thiruvananthapuram: The Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) commemorated Partition Horrors Remembrance Day across multiple college campuses in Kerala on Thursday, defying a directive from the CPI-M-led state government that prohibited the observance.
The day marks the anniversary of the 1947 division of India and Pakistan along communal lines, which caused widespread displacement, violence, and suffering. ABVP stated that the initiative aimed to highlight the “traumatic and obscured” stories of Partition for students and raise awareness about the “vested interests” behind the historical event.
The organisation claimed that the state government’s restrictions were imposed in defiance of Kerala Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar, who also serves as the Chancellor, and contradicted his instructions to allow commemorative events. ABVP alleged that its members faced hostility from Left-affiliated student groups, interference from left-leaning teachers’ associations, and opposition from both the state government and the Congress-led UDF.
ABVP Kerala State Secretary E.U. Eswaraprasad described the Partition as “one of the most horrendous and frightening incidents” in India’s history, asserting that it was “orchestrated for the vested interests of some political leaders.” He accused the Congress and Left parties of concealing the true history of Partition for “appeasement politics.”
“The fragmentation of Akhand Bharat led to the persecution of millions and left deep trauma. Despite the Kerala government’s authoritarian directive, we successfully held events across campuses to tell the real stories of Partition,” Eswaraprasad said.
ABVP National Secretary Shravan B. Raj said the division of the country was “not merely a partition of land” but left “deep wounds in the hearts of our people.” He blamed “power-hungry leaders” for steering the nation into one of its darkest chapters.
“Despite opposition from both the ruling dispensation and the UDF, the student community in Kerala engaged with immense interest, eager to learn about the precarious history of Partition,” Raj added.
Partition Horrors Remembrance Day is observed nationwide on August 14 to remember the victims, acknowledge the human cost of the subcontinent’s division, and foster awareness of its historical significance.
With IANS inputs
