Ottawa , June 24 :
The 39th anniversary of the Air India Kanishka bombing, the Indian High Commission in Canada condemned Canada, calling it "deplorable" that "glorifying terrorism" is permissible so often in the country.
According to the Indian High Commission, all nations that value peace should denounce terrorist attacks like the 1985 bombing of AI-182. It is disheartening and unacceptable for any country or people that values peace to condone acts of terrorism, such as the 1985 bombing of AI-182. The Indian High Commission expressed regret that such incidents are frequently tolerated in Canada. Air India Flight 232 was travelling from Montreal to Delhi in 1985 when a bomb went off in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, causing the plane to crash. "On June 23, 1985, Flight no. AI 182 Kanishka flying on Montreal (Canada) - London (UK) - Delhi (India) route, operated by Air India, then India's national carrier, was exploded by a bomb mid-air over the Atlantic Ocean, off the coast of Ireland, as a result of a cowardly act of terror, carried out by Canada based Khalistani terrorists," according to the report.
The tragedy claimed the lives of 329 unsuspecting passengers, including children, Canadians, Indians, and other international nationals. "This tragedy is the worst ever in Canadian aviation history to date and shall remain an unbearable loss for not only the families of the victims but also for humanity as a whole," the statement stated.
But according to the Indian High Commission, those responsible for this heinous crime and their accomplices are still at large. Earlier this year, on June 23, 2024, representatives from the Indian Consulates General in Toronto and Vancouver, the High Commission of India in Ottawa, and the families of the victims and members of the Indian Diaspora gathered in Ottawa, Toronto, and Vancouver to respectfully remember those lost in this heinous terrorist attack.
"While thirty-nine years have passed since the cowardly act, terrorism has unfortunately assumed proportions of an existential threat to international peace and security today," according to the statement. It went on to say that the whole community must work together to confront terrorism because the threat does not discriminate based on race, nationality, or geography. With the help of other nations that share its anti-terrorism stance, India has taken the lead in this fight over the years.
"We must not tolerate that political expediency dictates responses to terrorism, extremism, and violence," stated S. Jaishankar, India's minister of external affairs. The same holds true for the non-interference in internal matters and respect for territorial integrity. In September of 2023, UGA... The victims of Air India Flight 182 Kanishka are best remembered in the spirit of this remark.
On the anniversary of the bombing of the Air India aircraft 'Kanishka,' the Indian High Commissioner to Canada, Sanjay Kumar Verma, visited Ottawa to pay tribute to the victims of the disaster. A memorial service was held at the Air India Flight 182 Monument in Commissioner's Park, Dow's Lake, Ottawa, despite the rain, under the leadership of the Indian High Commission in Canada.
Speaking to the audience, Sanjay Kumar Verma emphasised that human lives are far more valuable than fleeting political interests and that no nation could ignore the danger of terrorism emerging from its borders for political benefit. Prompt judicial action, he said, should be met with every act of terrorism.
