Ottawa: On the anniversary of Komagata Maru, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau today condoled the incident and said that will never forget the pain and suffering of those who lived through these shameful events at the hands of the Canadian government.
Issuing a statement, Trudeau said, “In the spring of 1914, 376 Sikhs, Muslims, and Hindus of South Asian origin arrived in Vancouver’s harbour aboard the Komagata Maru steamship. Like millions of others before and after them, they hoped to settle into Canada and build a better life for themselves and their families.
“Due to the racist and discriminatory laws of the time, most of the passengers were refused entry into Canada and detained on board. For two months, Canadian immigration officials confined them to the ship and denied them sufficient access to medical aid, food, or water. Despite the best efforts of the local South Asian community, the passengers lost their appeal in Canadian court and were forced to return to India, where some were killed and many others imprisoned, he said in a official statement.