Trudeau lauds contribution of South Asian community on anniversary of Komagata Maru incident
Baljinder Sekha
Toronto, May 24, 2020 : Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau toady lauded the contribution of the South Asian community in development of Canada on the 106th anniversary of Komagata Maru incident.
In a message Trudeau said that four years ago, he had stood in the House of Commons to apologize on behalf of the Government of Canada to all those whose lives were changed by this tragic event. While no words can fully erase their pain and suffering, we must learn from the mistakes of our past and make sure to never repeat them. He said that the Komagata Maru incident continues to resonate in our history as a reminder to treat each other with respect, champion the rights of all, and embrace inclusion and respect for diversity as a great strength.
Lauding the contribution of the South Asian community he said that today, we remember the victims of this incident, and reflect on how much Canada has benefitted from the contributions of our South Asian communities and others who have come to this country and offered the best of who they are. He said that we will always be proud of Canada’s diversity—we are strong not in spite of our differences, but because of them.
Remembering the incident, he said that more than a century ago today, 376 passengers aboard the Komagata Maru steamship arrived in Vancouver. Like millions of immigrants coming to Canada before and since, these passengers came seeking better lives for their families. After a long journey from India, the majority of the passengers—who were Sikhs, Muslims, and Hindus of South Asian origin—were told they could not set foot on Canadian soil, due to the discriminatory laws of the time. They were refused entry and, for two months, were confined to the ship and denied regular access to food and water.
Despite the efforts of local South Asian communities, the Canadian government of the day only allowed a few passengers into Canada and the rest were forced to return to India, where some were later killed and many others imprisoned.
Meanwhile in a statement Sahib Singh Thind President Prof. Mohan Singh Foundation Canada lauded the apology tendered by Trudeau four years ago and said that on 106th anniversary of the incident we pledge to work for progress, peace and unity of Canada, one of the most beautiful country of the world. He said that we remember sacrifice of the people who were aboard the Komagata Maru ship.
It is worth mentioning here that on May 23, 1914 this incident had happened which is remembered in the history as Komagata Maru incident in which a large number of people had lost their live.
