I-Day: Odisha Guv urges citizens to reject hatred and strengthen unity

Bhubaneswar, Aug 14 (IANS) Odisha Governor Hari Babu Kambhampati on Thursday called upon citizens to reject hatred and strengthen unity.

He was speaking at the Partition Horrors Remembrance Day programme held at the New Abhishek Hall, Raj Bhavan, on Thursday.

“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.

The Governor also highlighted Odisha’s compassionate response to those displaced during Partition, despite the State being far from its epicentres.

“This spirit of humanity is woven into our State’s moral fabric,” he said.

Urging the youth to uphold unity and inclusivity, he said, “Division destroys while unity builds. Our remembrance must strengthen our resolve to stand together, ensuring such darkness never descends upon our land again,” he further added.

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.

Speaking at the event at Raj Bhavan, the Chief Minister observed, “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, 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.

He emphasised that the Partition was not merely a geographical event but a humanitarian tragedy.

Urging the new generation to remember history and learn from it, Majhi said, “History is a mirror—by looking into it and learning from it, we can prevent mistakes in the future. The day of Partition is a sorrowful truth. We must not forget history, but draw lessons from it. The youth must understand the truth of history and remain ever ready to protect the nation’s sovereignty, culture, and unity.”

He further underlined that India’s cultural heritage, rooted in its ancient and historical traditions, forms the foundation of the country’s national identity and thought.

“The new generation has to safeguard this legacy,” he added.

--IANS

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