India-Pakistan: India And Pakistan Prepare To Celebrate 50Th Anniversary Of Independence

Record ID: 3928

  • Title: India-Pakistan: India And Pakistan Prepare To Celebrate 50Th Anniversary Of Independence
  • Date: 11th August 1997
  • Summary: As India prepares to celebrate the 50th anniversary of its independence, the painful memories of partition and inter-communal violence are never far from the surface. In neighbouring Pakistan, celebrations for their 50th anniversary of independence are lower key than those planned in India. Pakistan celebrates its independence day on August 14, one day before India's. In the Indian capital New Delhi people of six different religions attended a prayer meeting on August 12 to pay tribute to more than one million people who lost their lives in the riots which followed the partition of the Indian subcontinent in 1947. The prayer meeting was held at Rajghat, the memorial for Mahatma Gandhi, founder of the Indian nation, in New Delhi, to honour the hundreds of thousands of people who were killed by Hindu and Moslem fanatics during 1946-47. The prayer meeting was led by Sunil Dutt, a former member of parliament and a film star. People in Calcutta in eastern India are remembering the role of Mahatma Gandhi in trying to end communal violence. Gandhi, who had been trying since May 1946 to avoid partition of the Indian subcontinent, arrived in Calcutta on August 12, 1947 amid widespread communal riots in the city. Hindu-Moslem riots had begun in Calcutta the year before, on August 16, 1946 following the Moslem League's declaration of Direct Action protest movement to achieve a separate nation - Pakistan. Gandhi stayed in Calcutta for three weeks to ensure an end to communal rioting and he was still in the city when India became a sovereign independent nation on August 15, 1947. Despite Gandhi's efforts to stop Hindu-Moslem riots in Calcutta, which at one point included a 'fast unto death', the violence continued well after Indian independence. During his visit to Calcutta Gandhi stayed at "Haider Manzil", a building owned by one of his Moslem supporters. The building was later christened Gandhi Bhavan and is today a museum. Jugal Chandra Ghosh, who was opposed to Gandhi's so-called "appeasement" policy towards Moslems, became a supporter after listening to a speech by Gandhi. "When Gandhi said that an eye for an eye will not help solve anything, we realised that he was right and that the solution to the problem lies in sacrifice. Since then I became a Gandhi follower " said Ghosh. The articles used by Gandhi during his stay in Gandhi Bhavan are still preserved. These items include his spinning wheel, footwear, bed and even a sprinkler used to water plants.Unlike India, where independence celebrations are being lavishly funded by both government and private business, preparations in Pakistan have been relatively simple. In the streets kiosks sell national flags, special caps and badges to commemorate the day. The ousted government of Benazir Bhutto had planned elaborate plans to mark the anniversary but these were cancelled when her successor Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif came to power. On August 11, people marched through central Islamabad carrying Pakistan's national flags and shouting "Long Live Pakistan" slogans. The ruling Pakistan Muslim League of Prime Minister Sharif will hold a special joint session of the National Assembly to commemorate independence. The government is also restoring the tomb of Mohammad Ali Jinnah, founder of Pakistan where Sharif will present his address the nation at midnight on August 13th. Pakistan and India became independent nations on August 15, 1947 after the Indian sub-continent was divided into two nations by the then British regime.
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  • Location: INDIA DELHI
  • Reuters ID: LDL001270UQ7Z
  • Aspect Ratio: 4:3
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  • Copyright Holder: Reuters Archive
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