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Finally, Canadian Parliament
apologizes for Kamagata Maru
India
still does not recognise Gadris as freedom fighters
WSN Network
OTTAWA:
Ninety-four years after Canada sent back a ship full of Sikhs in
complete disregard of humane considerations and ethics, it finally
has decided to apologise to the community. Ottawa's actions will
also heap shame on Indian nation state which has obstinately refused
to recognize the Gadris as freedom fighters and has even stated that
in an affidavit before the Supreme Court.
The Canadian
federal government's decision to apologise came on May 16 after the
Parliament passed at 0355 hours IST the resolution in this regard
that was tabled on April 2 by Liberal MP from Brampton-Springdhale
Rubi Dhalla and seconded by another Liberal member Sukhminder Singh
Dhaliwal. The resolution was passed unanimously in the House of
Commons.
The Sikh
community and some other sections of the Indian Diaspora have long
been pressing that
Canada
issue such an apology to recognise the 1914 event as a sad chapter,
particularly as the country takes great pride in its policy of
Multiculturalism. Dhalla, in her resolution, said "The tragedy is a
huge black mark in our nation's history. It is a powerful symbol of
the injustices that have occurred and the policy of exclusion that
existed for immigrants entering Canada on the basis of culture,
religion and skin colour."
"This tragedy of
injustice warrants an official apology from the Canadian government.
As a nation that champions human rights, democracy and freedom, this
is an opportunity for all parliamentarians to put partisan politics
aside and support the motion," Dhalla added.
 Ruby Dhalla is
connected to a Jalandhar- based family, brought up in Winipeg and
graduated from
Toronto.
Even though the Resolution was tabled by a Liberal Party MP, it drew
support from New Democratic Party, Bloc Quebec and ruling
Conservative Party. Tory Party's first Sikh MP Bibi Narinder Kaur (nina)
Grewal recalled that her husband and former MP Gurmant Singh Grewal,
during his tenure, had for the first time raised the voice for an
apology for the Kamagatamaru tragedy in 1997 and later in Surrey,
during the Mela of Gadri Babas, a petition signed by thousands was
presented before the Parliament and she herself tabled it in the
House of Commons.
When Dr Dhalla
sought the permission of the Speaker for a vote on the Resolution,
it was carried unanimously at 6.25 pm local time.
Last Saturday
secretary of state for multiculturalism and Canadian identity Jason
Kenney, while speaking in
Surrey,
had also announced that the federal government of
Canada would
provide $2.5 million in grants for a memorial to commemorate the
twomonth standoff with the Kamagata Maru.
On August 6,
2006, prime minister Stephen Harper had referred to the incident as
a 'source of sorrow' and promised to 'undertake consultations on how
best to recognize the sad moment. Later, Dr Dhalla noted that the
Indians were given the right to vote on April 2, 1947b and it was a
happy coincidence that she tabled the Resolution on April 2 this
year.
During the
Baisakhi celebration in the Canadian Parliament last month, Stephen
Harper announced: “As Canadians we believe we learn from history,
but we are not enslaved by it. We put old arguments behind us, in
order to focus on the challenges and opportunities that lie before
us. I especially know that Canadians of Sikh faith will always be
leaders in the effort to move Canada forward, unified, strong and
free”.
21
May,
2008
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