India Recalls Kanishka Flight Bombing As Canadian Parliament ‘Honours’ Khalistani Terrorist Nijjar

The Indian Consulate General in Vancouver announced a memorial service to pay tribute to 329 victims of the Air India Kanishka flight bombing after the Canadian parliament observed silence marking the one-year anniversary of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar.

Hinting at India’s stance against terrorism after the Canadian parliament observed silence in the memory of the one-year anniversary of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar. The Indian Consulate General in Vancouver announced a memorial service to pay tribute to the victims of the Air India Kanishka flight, where 329 individuals lost their lives as the flight was bombed by the pro-Khalistan organisation in 1985. 

The consulate invited the Indian Diaspora to join the ‘Kanishka Flight’ event on June 23 at the Air India Memorial at Stanley Park's Ceperley Playground area. In a post on 'X', the consulate posted, “India stands at the forefront of countering the menace of terrorism and works closely with all nations to tackle this global threat.” 

Informing about the memorial service, the post added, “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.” 

India stands at the forefront of countering the menace of terrorism and works closely with all nations to tackle this global threat. (1/3)

— India in Vancouver (@cgivancouver) June 18, 2024

Sikh militants allegedly bombed Air India's 'Kanishka' Flight 182, causing it to explode 45 minutes before its scheduled landing at London's Heathrow Airport on June 23, 1985. This tragic event resulted in the deaths of all 329 people on board, predominantly Canadians of Indian origin. The bombing was reportedly in retaliation for 'Operation Bluestar,' which aimed to remove militants from the Golden Temple in 1984. 

A video released by the news agency IANS depicts members of the Canadian Parliament observing a moment of silence in the House of Commons. Speaker Greg Fergus began by announcing that after discussions among representatives of all parties in the House, they agreed to observe a moment of silence in memory of Hardeep Singh Nijjar. 

Canada's Parliament marked the one-year anniversary of the killing of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar by holding a moment of silence in the House of Commons on Tuesday

(Video Source - Canadian Parliament Official Website) pic.twitter.com/SGkovpiWXc

— IANS (@ians_india) June 19, 2024

This comes a week after Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Canadian counterpart Justin Trudeau allegedly discussed the ‘Nijjar Killing’ incident on the backdrop of the G7 Summit in Italy. 

Nijjar, who was declared a terrorist by India, was fatally shot outside a Gurdwara in British Columbia last year. Following which, the Justin Trudeau-led Canadian government has accused Indian government agents of potential involvement in the killing, a claim that New Delhi has vehemently dismissed as “absurd and motivated.”

(Based on inputs from PTI)