The Bharatiya Janata Party will carry out a silent march with the Tricolour on the eve of Independence Day to remember the horrors of Partition. A communication from the central leadership to state units of the party says the “horrors of Partition have to be kept before general public by organising two programs in each district”.

The BJP has been observing August 14 as Partition remembrance day every year, the key features being a silent public march and holding a program in auditoriums.

BJP national president JP Nadda has formed a team of six leaders to monitor and supervise the tasks assigned under Vibhajan Vibhishika Smriti Divas. The members include Harshvardhan, Dushyant Kumar Gautam, Narendra Singh, Anirban Ganguly, Shiv Shakti and Preeti Gandhi.

The directions given to all state units say the march should be silent in remembrance of those who suffered during Partition. It adds that banners, placards and the national flag should be part of the march but need not be with party flags.

The party will also be honouring families who survived Partition and is collecting relevant literature and photographs to display at an exhibition.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had announced on August 14 last year that the day will be observed as Partition Horrors Remembrance Day in the memory of the struggles and sacrifices of people.

Making the announcement, PM Modi had noted that millions of people were displaced and many lost their lives due to mindless hate and violence caused by Partition.

May the Partition Horrors Remembrance Day, Modi had said, keep “reminding us of the need to remove the poison of social divisions, disharmony and further strengthen the spirit of oneness, social harmony and human empowerment”.

Pakistan was carved out as a Muslim country after the division of India by the British colonial rule in 1947, and millions of people were displaced and many lakhs of them lost their lives as large scale rioting broke out. India is marking 75 years of Independence this year.