'Stark reminder': PM Carney says Canada fell short of values when 376 Indian immigrants came for refuge during 1914 Komagata Maru incident

Canada Prime Minister Mark Carney called the refusal of 376 Indian immigrants in 1914 Komagata Maru incident a stark reminder of how Ottawa fell short of the values that the country holds, and asked people to ensure that such injustices are never repeated.

In 1914, the Komagata Maru, a Japanese steamship, anchored in Vancouver's harbour after a long journey across the Pacific.

In a statement, PM Carney said that the 376 people aboard – of Sikh, Muslim, and Hindu faiths- arrived Canada to seek refuge but authorities using exclusionary and discriminatory laws, refused them entry and ultimately forced to return to India.

“Canadian authorities however, using exclusionary and discriminatory laws, refused them entry. For two months, passengers were detained on the ship and denied access to food, water, and medical care. When they were forced to return to India, many were imprisoned or killed there," he said in the statement.

“The Komagata Maru tragedy is a stark reminder of how, in moments of our history, Canada fell short of the values we hold dear. We cannot rewrite the past, but we must confront it; to act with purpose, to ensure that such injustices are never repeated, and to build a stronger future where inclusion is not a slogan, but a reality – lived, practised, and defended," he added.

The PM further stated that to honour the past is to learn from it, and to learn from it is to act.