Centenary Anniversay Of Komagata Maru incident
The most
striking aspect of the 376 Indians who were part of the Komagata Maru adventure
was the bravery they exhibited, their unwavering commitment in keeping afloat
the pride of their country and vastly influencing inter-continental movement of
mankind. The story of the Komagata Maru resonates
beyond 1914, linking to freedom movement in India and the right to vote for
South Asians in Canada. Their stand echoes all men and women everywhere who
oppose exclusion and domination on grounds of race, colour and origin. It
addresses how we build communities, understand multiculturalism, how we remember
our past and develop multiple connections.
Komagata Maru
incident was a very significant event in the history of Indian revolutionary
movement. This was the voyage of Komagata Maru, which though inspired by the
doctrine of the Ghadar party indirectly gave a fillip to the Indian struggle for
freedom. Indians had been migrating to Canada and U.S.A from the early years of
20th century, but their growing numbers in Canada was resented by the
Canadian Government. As a result they, with the approval of the British
Government, passed a series of immigration laws restricting the entry of Indians
into Canada. An Ordinance made it mandatory for the passengers to come only
direct from India and that they should have a minimum of 200 Canadian dollars in
their possession at the time of landing. These restrictions, though quite
unjustified, were enacted within the legal framework.
In the second
decade of the twentieth century the world was witness to events unfolding in the
wake of the First World War. An enslaved India was no exception. The sense of
patriotism and pride of the country of birth was growing in the hearts and minds
of Indian masses irrespective of their socio-economic status. A section of
Indians especially from the Punjab aspired to work and settle in western
countries mainly to Canada in search of a better living. The overseas Indian community of today is the result of
different waves of migration over hundreds of years driven by a variety of
reasons. They were early harbingers of globalization. But we should not forget
the hard work, sweat and toil of these early pioneers. Its early experiences
make up a saga of trials, tribulations and the eventual triumph of determination
and hard work. The participants in the Komagata Maru adventure one hundred years
ago were the pioneers in this upward movement.
An Indian
patriot, Baba Gurdit Singh, a Sikh businessman operating from Singapore, decided
to travel to Canada in order to create a larger network of Indians that could
support the nationalists in India and abroad. So he charted a Japanese ship
named Komagata Maru to sail from Hong Kong to Japan and finish the journey at
Vancouver, Canada. It carried 376 passengers and reached Vancouver on
23rd May, 1914. When Komagata Maru was not allowed to dock at
Vancouver and the immigrants were refused permission to land “as they had failed
to comply with the requirements of the Canadian Law”. The ship was turned around and forced
to depart on 23 July 1914 for India. On 29th
September, 1914 Komagata Maru returned to India and on reaching Calcutta
when the
ship was docked at Budge Budge harbour, the police ordered the arrest of Baba
Gurdit Singh and the 20 other men that they saw as leaders. A passenger on
Komagata Maru told a British officer: “This ship belongs to the whole of
India.
This is the symbol of honour of India and if it will be detained, there will be
a mutiny in the army”. A renowned Ghadarite once said, “We were not Sikhs or
Punjabis, our religion was patriotism”. While Baba Gurdit Singh was
resisting arrest, one of his associates had an alteraction with policeman
leading to a riot. The police opened fire, killing 19 unarmed and defenceless
passengers. Some escaped, but the remainder were arrested and imprisoned or sent
to their villages. Gurdit Singh managed to escape and lived in hiding until
1922. He was urged by Mahatma Gandhi to give himself up as a 'true patriot'; he
duly did so, and was imprisoned for five years. In word and deed, those
aboard the Komagata Maru upheld the finest traditions of the freedom struggle.
The
Komagata Maru episode attracted worldwide attention and condemnation. For
instance Japan Chronicle wrote: “It is a lamentable story and it is to be
earnestly hoped that the British Government will do something for these unhappy
men”. This event inflamed the passions of youth in India to such an extent that
Kartar Singh Sarabha, an eighteen year old student at the University of
California, Berkley returned to India and urged Indian soldiers to revolt. He
was arrested and hung until death in 1915 by the British Government in India.
The Komagata Maru incident left a deep impression in the minds of Indian
diaspora in Canada and the people of India.
The
importance of this incident can be understood how the present generation views
this unfortunate event. Most notable was the apology given in 2008 by the Prime
Minister Stephen Harper of Canada after 94 years. In a goodwill gesture, the people of Canada marked the centenary of Komagata Maru episode
on 23rd May, 2014 in a solemn ceremony. The Honourable Michel de Jong
moved a resolution: I quote: “Be it resolved that this legislature apologizes
for the events of May 23, 1914, when 376 passengers of the Komagata Maru,
stationed off Vancouver harbour, were denied entry by Canada. The house deeply
regrets that the passengers, who sought refuge in our country and our province,
were turned away without benefit of the fair and impartial treatment benefitting
a society where people of all cultures are welcomed and accepted”
unquote.
The
Nation takes pride in commemorating the Centenary of Komagata Maru incident and
salutes the bravery and patriotism exhibited by the 376 Indians on board. The
Ministry of Culture has planned to organise a series of events to mark this
event in this centenary year. I assure you that the Ministry of Culture will do
all it can to keep alive the sacrifices of these daughters and sons of India and
their contributions to our people. In particular, we will strive to inform and
motivate the younger generation to be inspired by their great
example.”
*
Excerpts from the speech delivered by Minister of Culture and Tourism Shri
Shripad Naik on the occasion of inauguration of the centenary commemoration of
Komagata Maru Incident.
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