By In 1985, 329 people were killed including 280 Canadian citizens and 86 children in Air India bombing. The flight left Toronto, and then Montreal bound for London and final destination to India. It disappeared from radar off the coast of Ireland where the search for survivors and answers began. The attack was planned by group of B.C. Sikh Khalistan separatists led by the preacher by named Talwinder Singh Parmar.
November 19th 1981, Parmar was among the militants who escaped from a shootout in which two Punjab Police officers were gunned down outside the house of Amarjit Singh Nihang in Ludhiana. Then he went to Canada. In the year 1982, India issued warrant to arrest Parmar for six charges of murder, stemming from the killing of the police officers. India notified Canada that Parmar was a wanted terrorist in 1981 and asked for his extradition in 1982. But Canada denied the request in July 1982
Shortly after Blue Star, Parmar visited Inderjit Singh Reyat, an auto mechanic and electrician who lived in Duncan, B.C, He asked him to construct a bomb but Reyat later claimed that he had no idea for what it would be used. He also discussed explosives with a co-worker, while expressing anger at the Indian government and Indian Late PM Indira Gandhi in particular.
Later that year, Ajaib Singh Bagri accompanied Parmar as his right-hand man in the armed struggle against the Indian government. Bagri worked as a forklift driver at saw mill. This pair traveled across Canada to rally Sikhs to the cause of avenging the attack on the Golden Temple. Bagri told a congregation, “Get all your weapons ready so we can take revenge against the Indian Government”.
The main suspects in the bombing were members of a separatist group called for a separate Sikh state called Khalistan movement.
But the Canadian government saw this tragedy as not it’s own loss, and not of serious significance to Canada. In the initial framing of this bombing it was seen as a foreign tragedy. The plane did not blow up at Pearson. It was in Ireland. It was all seen as far away. It was on Air India carrier. But it was seen as Indians on an Indian plane going to India. Despite the bombing being planned and executed in Canada and many of the passengers being Canadian citizens it was not seen as being Canadian tragedy, but was seen as a foreign tragedy. The Irish government jumped in and helped out but the Canadian government, officials and agencies were missing.
The families felt they were deserted right after the bombing and in the years that followed. Families would always constantly talk about the mishandling of evidence and the turf war happening between the RCMP and CSIS that did not result in prosecution. And they started feeling that they were ignored by the government of the time, governments that followed and the legal system that they did not get justice.
After having a glance of what happened in that terror day of 23rd June 1985, now it’s time for us to stand united against terror and terrorists and in support of the innocent victims who got killed in this biggest terrorist attack ever happened in Canada.
Time for us disown Terror and Terrorists and stand united and strong for a peaceful Canada. We will request each one of you to come with your family and friends to Humber Bay Park on this June 23rd at 6 PM and join us for Remembrance & Prayer for peace.
Humber Bay Park
100 Humber Bay Park Road West, Toronto, Ontario M8V 3X7
Click here for Facebook event link also for you to confirm your coming. Terrorists may Terrorize us.. We as Canadians stand strong.. united and with courage for prayer and peace. Let’s join hands with us in this peace movement.
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