The Punjab Assembly on Wednesday sought an apology from Canada for the inhuman shooting down of 19 innocent Punjabis on Kamaghata Maru ship over a century ago in 1914.
In a historic resolution, the Punjab Assembly unanimously demanded that the Indian Government should ask the Canadian Government to ensure that its Parliament publically apologises for this inhuman act as it had apologised for the inhuman act with Chinese and Japanese people.
Calling upon MLAs to raise this issue unanimously by rising above petty political consideration, Revenue 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 Canadian Parliament was forced to apologise and that would be the befitting tribute to those unknown martyrs who laid down their lives for their nation.
Introducing the official resolution, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Madan Mohan Mittal said: “Canadian Government did not allow a ship containing Indian seeking freedom of the country to enter Vancouver port and forced it to return to India. When ship reached Baj Baj port of Calcutta on September 29, 1914 the then English Government shot down 19 freedom fighters while the remaining freedom fighters were jailed.”
Subsequently, he said, the House demands that Canadian Parliament should apologise for that inhuman act as it had done to the Chinese and Japanese people.
Supporting the resolution, Congress MLA and former Chief Minister Rajinder Kaur Bhathal said Indian Parliament should also pass this resolution. Education Minister Dr. Daljeet Singh Cheema said he would request Chief Minister to pursue the matter with the Centre.
Gurpartap Singh Wadala of SAD also demanded that a memorial should be constructed in the memory of Kamaghata Maru martyrs. Subsequently the resolution was passed unanimously by the Punjab Assembly.
