'Politics led to Partition, citizens bore brunt'

Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, November 1

Manjit Rai (82) was 8-year-old when she had to leave Chak 55 (now in Pakistan) along with her family during the Partition.

Now, a resident of Sham Chaurasi, Rai advocates bravery to overcome obstacles for those who ever get bogged down. She carried a photograph, which highlighted the harrowing times.

Seated under a huge tree at Virsa Vihar in Jalandhar, Rai narrated the ordeal and said she might return to her native home someday to cherish her childhood memories and visit the family’s legacy –jewels buried hastily under a ‘chakki’.

“Roobaroo- Desh Di Azadi Te Pinde Handaaye Palan Naal Saanjh” (reflections of journey from Pakistan to India during the Partition and various encounters on the way) Rai narrated her encounters, including arsenic laced wells, abandoned schools, homes and strangers who risked their lives to help them.

She informed about how they resisted from drinking arsenic water from wells and overcame threats to reach India.

“Move on. Fight. The way our leaders fought valiantly in the face of threat taught me how to be brave,” she said.

Asked whether she harboured hatred for what happened to her, Rai said, “Muslims never hurt us, nor did we hurt them. Parents taught us it’s not about you, it’s about politics. Politics did this to us. It’s not about Muslims, Sikhs or Hindus. It was a political issue and citizens bore the brunt. So, I never treated it as a personal issue. I went to Pakistan to attend a function in honour of Maharaja Ranjit Singh some years ago.”

She said, “Muslims saved my sister and her in-laws. They gave them burqas and helped them flee safely.”

The event was organised by the District Cultural and Literary Society, Virsa Vihar, Jalandhar, and Apeejay College of Fine Arts.