Mysore/Mysuru: Noted RSS leader Kalladka Prabhakar Bhat has said that the memories of the sacrifices and sufferings of millions of innocent men, women and children during the times of Partition have to be remembered so that lessons are learnt and no one should even think of divisiveness.

Participating at an event held to integrate various units of RSS in Mysuru at Bannimantap Parade Grounds on Sunday, Bhat said that Partition was a man-made tragedy where millions suffered and the wounds of it are still festering. “As we celebrate the Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav, we must also remember what price India paid to attain freedom. We must collectively take a pledge to stop the appeasement politics that resulted in dividing the country,” he said.

“The least we can do is to remember the unimaginable sacrifices of the millions at the time of Partition. Otherwise, India will be deservedly called an ungrateful nation,” he said. Remembrances of mass killings and collective violence can play an important part in societies seeking forgiveness for the crimes they committed against humanity and resolving that they will never let those terrible events happen again.

Without naming any political party, Bhat said that politicians have not learnt any lessons from Partition and they are only mindful of their vote bank. “For them terrorists become saviours and they do not hesitate to compromise the national interest to meet their political goals. It is time to prevent the fragmentation of India on various fronts like social and political, and we need to uphold India’s image of unity in diversity,” he added.

“A leader of a political party questioned if Mohammad Shariq, an accused in the Mangaluru cooker bomb blast case, was a terrorist. It is unfortunate that we have such leaders who compromise the nation to come to power and win votes,”  Prabhakar Bhat said.

Speaking on religious conversion, he said that conversion will lead to a change not only in religion but also in the mentality and thinking. “The land which is now known as Pakistan was part of India and the people who lived there were all Indians. People living there now have changed their mindset after Partition,” he said.

RSS is the only organisation which lives for crores of people in the country. The sole objective of the RSS is to live for the common man, he added. “Attempts are being made by divisive forces to create many Pakistans within India. We must defeat such forces who ignore the contributions of rulers like the Wadiyars of Mysuru and rally behind ruthless plunderers and those who indulged in mass killings of Hindus,” he said.

RSS Mysuru Division Convener Dr. Vaman Rao Bapat, City Convener R. Vasudev Bhat and thousands of RSS activists including children from various units in Mysuru were present.