NEW DELHI/OTTAWA, JUNE 23 :  Amid Canada’s pandering to Khalistani separatists, the Indian High Commission in Ottawa and two consulates today observed the 39th anniversary of the Kanishka bombing even as EAM S Jaishankar said the day is a reminder why terrorism should never be tolerated.

In a post, the EAM paid homage to the 329 victims of the bombing of the Air India flight in 1985 by Khalistani separatists.

“Today marks the 39th anniversary of one of the worst acts of terrorism in history.
“Pay my homage to the memory of the 329 victims of AI 182 ‘Kanishka’ who were killed this day in 1985. My thoughts are with their families.

“The anniversary is a reminder why terrorism should never be tolerated.”

The Indian High Commission in Ottawa said it is observing a Memorial Service at the Air India Flight 182 Monument at Commissioner’s Park, Dow’s lake, Ottawa, and urged members of the Indian diaspora to join the event in a show of solidarity against terrorism.

“India stands at the forefront of countering the menace of terrorism and works closely with all nations to tackle this global threat.

“June 23, 2024 marks the 39th Anniversary of the cowardly terrorist bombing of Air India flight 182 (Kanishka), in which 329 innocent victims including 86 children, lost their lives in one of the most heinous terror-related air disasters in the history of civil aviation.

“A Memorial Service is scheduled at 1200 hrs on June 23, 2024 at the Air India Flight 182 Monument at Commissioner’s Park, Dow’s lake, Ottawa. The High Commission encourages members of the Indian Diaspora to join the event in a show of solidarity against terrorism.”

The Indian consulate in Vancouver is observing a memorial service at the Air India Memorial at Stanley Park’s Ceperley Playground area, while the consulate in Toronto is observing a memorial service at South Lawns, Queens Park.

India’s annual observance of the anniversary of the horrific Kanishka bombing comes even as the Canadian Parliament last week observed a minute’s silence in memory of Khalistani separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar who was killed a year ago in Surrey, British Columbia.

On Friday, the MEA had slammed the move and said India “opposes any moves giving political space to extremism and violence”.

Diplomatic relations between the two nations have taken a nosedive over the killing of India-designated terrorist Nijjar.

The Canadian PM Justin Trudeau had sparked a controversy in September last year when he told the Canadian parliament that security agencies had been actively pursuing “credible allegations of a potential link” between agents of the Government of India and the killing of Nijjar.
India has rejected the claims as “absurd and motivated.”

The Air India ‘Kanishka’ Flight 182, from Montreal to New Delhi, exploded 45 minutes before its scheduled landing at London’s Heathrow Airport on 23 June 1985, resulting in the deaths of all 329 people on board, majority of whom were Canadians of Indian descent.

The explosion, which occurred at 31,000 feet over the Atlantic Ocean, was orchestrated by Sikh separatists seeking revenge for the Indian army’s 1984 assault on the Golden Temple in Punjab.

Last week, Canadian MP Chandra Arya in a speech in the Canadian parliament observed the 39th anniversary of the Kanishka bombing.

He said “On June 23, 1985, Canadian-based Khalistani terrorists blew up the plane and the ideology responsible for this attack is still alive among some people in Canada.”(UNI)