On Saturday, June 22 the Brampton community came together to celebrate the official opening of Komagata Maru Park, located at 10705 Bramalea Rd. in Brampton.
This event was the first Canadian commemoration of the Komagata Maru incident outside of British Columbia. Brampton residents, dignitaries, and descendants of the survivors of the ship were in attendance. The event featured a traditional smudging ceremony, remarks from the mayor and members of council, and the vice-president of the Descendants of Komagata Maru Society, Raj Toor. An official ribbon-cutting ceremony and a symbolic tree planting with descendants, the mayor and councillors took place as well.
The Komagata Maru came in May 23, 1914 with 376 passengers including grandfather of Raj Toor, Baba Puran Singh Janetpura.
Puran Singh was a student in that ship. He was already well educated, having studied at an English-Language High School in Ludhiana, Punjab and had studied telecommunication at the University of Amethi.
He was coming to Canada for higher education. He was told that any Indian, part of the British Common Wealth would be welcome to study further in Canada. They were British subjects and were also holding British passports. They were not illegal immigrants. He told us the Canadian government denied entry and did not treat them very well.
No food, water or medication was provided by the government. Only the local Sikh community provided them with food and water. The Mayor of Vancouver and other leaders were making racist comments including the Vancouver Sun and other media were making racist comments as well. The Komagata Maru was sent back to India after two months forcefully under the shadow of military ship by discriminatory law. The British were ruling India at that time, when Komagata Maru arrived in India, British troops shot them. Around 20 people were killed on the spot, many were injured and the rest of them were put in jail for a long period of time.
My grandfather served about five years jail term, when he was released the government put him on restriction so he could not go out of his village.
In protest, most of the passengers joined the freedom movement including my grandfather. Finally India got free in 1947. Komagata Maru was the turning point in the India freedom movement. My grandfather Baba Puran Singh Janetpura was recognized by the Punjab, India government for his services and he played an active role in the India freedom movement.
