Punjab Assembly today unanimously passed resolution seeking an apology from Canadian government for not allowing a ship 'Komagata Maru', with Indians onbaord, to enter Vancouver port and forcing it to return to India, where Britishers shot 19 innocent Punjabis and put many in prison in 1914.
In the resolution, passed unanimously by the members of the House on the concluding day of the Budget session, demanded that, "The Indian government should seek an apology from Canadian government in Canadian Parliament for the atrocities committed by them on Indian people as they have apologized to Chinese and Japanese people for inhuman behaviour meted out to them."
Introducing the official resolution, Punjab Parliamentary Affairs minister Madan Mohan Mittal said "Canadian Government did not allow a ship with Indians on board, seeking freedom of the country to enter Vancouver port and forced it to return to India. When ship reached Bajbaj port of Calcutta on September 29, 1914, British Government shot down 19 freedom fighters and put many behind prison cell."
The House unanimously demands that Indian government should ask Canadian government that Canadian Parliament should apologise for that "inhuman" Act, he said.
Supporting the resolution, senior Congress MLA and former Chief Minister Rajinder Kaur Bhattal said Parliament should also pass this resolution.
She said serious efforts on collective basis should be made so that this issue be taken up by the Canadian Parliament when it sits in April this year.
Education Minister Daljeet Singh Cheema said he would request Chief Minister to pursue the issue with the Centre.
Calling upon MLAs to raise this issue unanimously rising above petty political, SAD MLA and Minister Bikram Singh Majithia appealed to Treasury as well as opposition members not to politicise the martyrdom of 19 Punjabis but raise a united voice so that Canada Parliament was forced to apologise and that would be the befitting tribute to those unknown martyrs who laid down their lives for nation.
SAD MLA Gurpartap Singh Wadala supporting the resolution said a memorial should be constructed in the memory of Komagata Maru martyrs.
He said Canadian State British Columbia has apologised for this tragedy and now Canadian Parliament should also do the same.
