Last Updated: 24th July, 2022
As the Republic of India celebrates its 73rd Independence Day on 15th August, all eyes are on Prime Minister Narendra Modi‘s speech at the Red Fort that once comes the second consecutive triumph of the BJP-led NDA government in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. Security has been intense in numerous parts of the country to avoid any untoward incident.
The Radcliffe Line: Price Of Independence
The Radcliffe Line has been the boundary line dividing the Indian and Pakistani parts of British India’s Punjab and Bengal provinces. It has been titled upon its architect, Sir Cyril Radcliffe, who was given the authority for dividing 175,000 square miles (450,000 km2) of soil with 88 million persons (along with their fates) as the joint chairperson of the two border commissions for both the two territories.
The line of demarcation was declared on the Partition of India on 17th August, 1947. Its western part still serves today as the frontier between Indo-Pakistan and the eastern side serves as the frontier between India and Bangladesh.
Even after 73 years the Radcliffe Line exists, deep in every heart and soul, in tears and droplets of blood and that also rigorously reminding each and every day that you are not independent from our and your own people’s fate which has been nailed by us the you!
Q: But How Long And Why?
A: Can you please answer that question for me/us? No, no one can as everyone knows, it should not be resolved. (Shush!)
The regions affected by the Partition of India: green regions allocated to Pakistan, orange to India. The darker-shaded regions represent the Punjab and Bengal provinces partitioned by the Radcliffe Line. The gray areas represent key princely states that were eventually integrated into India or Pakistan.
However, the Republic of India isn’t the only country that celebrates 15th August as Independence Day. Bahrain, South Korea, North Korea, Liechtenstein and Congo too celebrates 15th August the same as their Day of Independence. Here’s more about them:
India/Republic of India – earned its freedom from the nearly 200-year-long British rule on 15th August, 1947. Before departure India, Brits divided India into two independent states – Hindu-majority India and Muslim-majority Islamic Republic of Pakistan.
On 14th of August, Pakistan celebrates its Independence Day.
South Korea and North Korea – North and South Korea’s only common public holiday, the day referred to as ‘National Liberation Day of Korea’ refers to 15th August, 1945 when the United States of America and Soviet Forces finished the Korean Peninsula occupation by Japan. The day is additionally known as Gwangbokjeol (meaning Time of the Restoration of Light). Three years later, independent Korean governments were formed.
Bahrain – The country declared its Independence from Brits on 15th August, 1971, observing at United Nations census of the population of Bahrain. The two sides went on to sign a friendly relationship pact.
Liechtenstein – The world’s sixth smallest nation marks its Independence Day on 15th August to commemorate its liberation from Federal Republic of Germany decree in 1866. The day permits the general population to mingle with the royal house.
Democratic Republic of the Congo – The Congolese National Day has been celebrated since 1960 on 15th August. After eighty years of subjugation, the nation obtained full independence from France on this same date.
