In order to depict enormous mental agony and trauma faced by the countrymen in general and Punjabis in particular during an ordeal of partition of country in 1947, the Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal has asked the top brass of state government to explore the feasibility of setting a state of the art Partition museum in the holy city Amritsar.A decision to this was taken by the Chief Minister during a high level meeting with the officers of state government and NGO- The Arts & Cultural Heritage Trust held here at Punjab Bhawan late last evening.Chairing the meeting, the Chief Minister bemoaned that partition of the country was one of the darkest chapter of the India’s history as nearly 1.5 crore people were displaced and as many as five lakh of them lost their lives during the migration of populace between India and Pakistan.
He said that Punjab being a border and most prosperous state of the country faced the maximum brunt of partition, the wounds of which were still afresh in the memories of people who had witnessed that moment. Mr. Badal said that so such a memorial built in the holy city of Amritsar would not only help in acquainting the younger generations about this important chapter of Indian history but would cement the socio-cultural bonds between people from both India and Pakistan as both the countries have suffered a lot during this mass migration.The Chief Minister asked the officers to work out modalities for expediting the process of setting up this memorial which would display the heart rendering stories of eye witnesses of Partition of the country besides housing a library with rare books describing the events leading to partition and its aftermath. He assured the Mentor of Trust Lord Meghnad Desai and Chairman Ms. Kishwar Desai that state government would leave no stone unturned for ensuring that this museum comes up at holy city. Mr. Badal hoped that this world class museum would offer a panorama to depict the trials and tribulations faced by the innocent people of Indian sub continent in the world’s ever largest migration. “The state government has set up several memorials to perpetuate the glorious and rich cultural heritage of the state and this initiative was also a part of this endeavor” he added.
Earlier taking part in deliberations Chairman of trust Ms. Kishwar Desai said that they were actively engaged towards the establishment of a physical museum dedicated to the memory of the Partition in 1947 ---- its victims, its survivors and its lasting legacy. She said that partition was one of greatest and most painful upheavals of contemporary history as several millions migrated to a new homeland on the other side of a quickly demarcated border, leaving behind precious memories. Ms. Desai said that the present young generations in India, Pakistan and Bangladesh have little or no idea of what their grandparents or ancestors went through, in order to give them the gift of freedom adding that the Partition Museum would attempt to lift that veil of silence. Prominent amongst other present in the meeting included Principal Secretary Tourism Mrs. Anjali Bhawra, Special Principal Secretaries to Chief Minister Mr. Gaggandip Singh Brar and Mr. KJS Cheema and Secretary Local Government Mr. Ashok Gupta.