National Identity Must Come Above Caste And Region, Says VP Radhakrishnan At DU Event

NEW DELHI — Vice-President C P Radhakrishnan on Friday stated that no caste, language, or region is more important than the nation, urging citizens across the country to place their national identity above narrower affiliations.

Radhakrishnan was addressing an event organised to mark Partition Horrors Remembrance Day. The programme was jointly hosted in New Delhi by Delhi University’s Centre for Independence and Partition Studies alongside the Indian Council of Historical Research.

Speaking at the gathering, the Vice-President explained that the objective of observing Partition Horrors Remembrance Day was not to reopen old wounds with bitterness, but rather to foster greater unity and harmony across society.

He described Partition as one of the most tragic chapters in the history of India, noting that it resulted in one of the largest mass migrations ever witnessed in human history. He added that while Independence brought freedom from colonial rule, the historic moment was simultaneously accompanied by an unprecedented human tragedy.

Reflecting on the lessons of that era, Radhakrishnan said that freedom is precious, unity is essential, and peace can never be taken for granted. He underscored the importance of remembering the deep suffering and personal sacrifices endured by the millions who lived through the events of Partition.

Radhakrishnan also observed that Partition went beyond the physical redrawing of political boundaries, pointing out that the division fractured a rich civilisational heritage that had been built and nurtured over thousands of years.