Echoes of Tragedy: Commemorating 40 Years Since the Kanishka Bombing

In a solemn commemoration marking the 40th anniversary of the Kanishka bombing, Bob Rae, Canada's Permanent Representative to the United Nations, urged Canadians to confront the painful truth of the Air India Flight 182 tragedy that claimed 329 lives. Speaking from Cork, Ireland, Rae drew attention to the Canadian roots of the plot orchestrated by the Khalistani terrorist group Babbar Khalsa.

Rae emphasized the domestic nature of the plan, stating, "As a Canadian, I feel so strongly that this act of terror must be etched deeply into the texture of the history of our country." He highlighted the need for Canadians to understand the event was conceived 'in our midst', challenging the notion of its foreign origin.

Amidst tributes, Indian External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar called for zero tolerance towards terrorism, reflecting on the bombing as one of the gravest acts of terrorism. In Cork, dignitaries including Irish Prime Minister Micheal Martin and Canadian Public Safety Minister Gary Anandasangaree joined in remembrance at the Ahakista Memorial, where wreaths were laid and school students paid their respects through music.

(With inputs from agencies.)