Why did the British hand over the power to India at midnight, what happened in the last 24 hours?

On the midnight of 14 and 15 August 1947, when most of the people of the country were sleeping, India was writing the story of its independence. Today every Indian wants to know about the night when our ancestors must have breathed a free country for the first time. How would it have been on the night of 14-15 August 1947? How must have been your Delhi view? What happened between 14 and 15 August when India-Pakistan separated and got independence. In this article, we are going to tell you the story of midnight of 14 August and 15 August.

Independence of freedom on one side, pain of partition on the other side

The evening of August 14, 1947, there was a strange atmosphere in Delhi everywhere where there was excitement of freedom on one side, while there was a possibility of partition pain and violence on the other side. It was not just a day, but was the beginning of a new era after about 200 years of slavery. Every tick-tick of the clock was creating history. That night, whatever happened was not just a ceremony but a witness to the rebirth of a nation.

The night of August 14 when the British handed over power to India-

• As the evening was falling on 14 August 1947, there was a lot of excitement in Delhi’s Constitution Hall. At that time, the Central Hall of today’s Parliament House used to be a constitution hall when members of the Indian Legislative Council were gathering for a historic meeting. At that time it was raining heavy outside, but the enthusiasm of the people was not less.
• Thousands of people gathered to witness this historic moment even after getting wet outside the constitution hall. From 6 o’clock in the evening, the flag ‘Union Jack’, a symbol of British rule, was launched and preparations were being made to hoist the tricolor everywhere.
• The meeting started at 11 pm. This meeting was presided over by Dr. Rajendra Prasad. All the leaders gave their views in the meeting. After this, at 12 o’clock at night, when the world was sleeping, India woke up and welcomed its freedom. At that time, India’s first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru gave his historical speech.
• Nehru’s speech is known as ‘Trist with Destiny’ in which he said, “Many years ago we made a promise to destiny, and now the time has come when we will not fully, but to a large extent.” This speech has given a new hope and enthusiasm in the hearts of the people of India.
• In this ceremony, the British government formally handed over power to the representatives of India. As a symbol of the transfer of power, Pandit Nehru received ‘Sangs’ from Lord Mountbatten. Even though it was a happy occasion, Lord Mountbatten was also worried at that time, as he knew that on one hand where India is celebrating its independence, there was a fireworks on the other side in Pakistan and in states like Punjab and Bengal. However, Pakistan had celebrated its Independence Day on August 14.
• The night of August 14-15, 1947 was also full of contradiction. On the one hand, where people were celebrating independence in Delhi and across the country, at the same time, there was terrible violence in Punjab and Bengal. Millions of people were leaving their homes and running away.
• Mahatma Gandhi was also not involved in this celebration, as he was sitting on hunger strike in the second part of the country and feeling the pain of partition. This night reminds that the price of independence was very heavy. It was not just a political victory, but was full of sacrifices and pain of crores of people.

India’s mother’s chest was shattered

Actually, the date of August 14 in the history of the country is written with tears. This was the day when the country was partitioned. Pakistan was declared a separate nation on 14 August 1947 and India on August 15, 1947. In this partition, not only two pieces of the Indian sub-continent were cut, but also Bengal was divided and the eastern part of Bengal was separated from India to East Pakistan, which became Bangladesh after the 1971 war. To say this was the partition of a country, but in fact it was the partition of hearts, families, relationships and emotions. This wound of partition on India’s chest will continue to leak for centuries and the coming breeds will feel the paintic and bloody day twisted of the date.

Why did freedom get freedom at midnight?

Today, this question must have come in everyone’s mind that why the country got freedom at midnight. So let us tell you that there were many reasons behind this-

1. The first reason was the partition of Pakistan and India. The big leaders of that era and English Hukumat feared that if freedom was given during the day and India Pakistan was divided, then it could erupt riots. It will be very difficult to control law and order, which is why midnight time was chosen.
2. The second reason is that Pakistan got independence a day before India i.e. 14 August. Viceroy Lord Mountbatten was supposed to go to Karachi for transfer to Pakistan on August 14 and return to India late at night. This is the reason why it was decided that India will be given independence at midnight.

Apart from this, the facts show that the British government had announced that both Pakistan and India would be independent on zero hours on the same time i.e. 15 August 1947. This is the reason that India’s independence was announced in New Delhi at midnight.

Also read-

Independence Day 2025: Apart from India, these 4 countries also celebrate Independence Day on August 15, know the name

Why Independence Day is celebrated in Pakistan on August 14, know the whole history

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