‘Justice was never fully served’: Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar on Kanishka bombing
New Delhi, July 1
Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar today recalled the June 1985 bombing of the Air India Kanishka aircraft as “one of the darkest days in the fight against terrorism”.
Both Houses of Parliament observed a moment of silence on Monday in memory of the 329 victims, including 22 Indian citizens, when a bomb in the aircraft exploded mid-air.
“Two Air India aircraft flying out of Canada were targeted by terrorists. A total of 329 innocent people lost their lives when Air India-182 Kanishka was blown up mid-air off the coast of Ireland by Sikh terrorists not long after it took off from Montreal en route to India, killing all passengers and crew members on June 23, 1985,” he said.
“Regrettably, justice was never fully served…,” said Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar as the Upper House observed a moment of silence. “Two others were killed as another major catastrophe was narrowly averted in Japan,” Dhankar said, referring to the death of two ground crew as they were handling baggage from another Air India flight from Canada. The bag was intended to be placed in another Air India flight, AI 301, headed to Bangkok and Delhi but it exploded prematurely.
“The incident is a grim reminder of why the world must adopt a zero-tolerance approach towards terrorism and violent extremism. Such acts can never be condoned or justified,” Dhankar said.
External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal posted on X, “Today, the Rajya Sabha observed a moment of silence in memory of victims of AI 182 ‘Kanishka’.” The Rajya Sabha also paid homage to world leaders who died recently, including Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, Tanzania’s former President Ali Hassan Mwinyi and Malawi’s Vice-President Saulos Klaus Chilima.
The Upper House also expressed condolence to victims of a devastating fire in a housing complex for foreign workers in Kuwait on June 12 that killed 46 Indian nationals.
