Ottawa: India's High Commissioner Ajay Bisaria paid tribute at the Air India Memorial in Ottawa to the victims of the largest terrorist attack in Canadian history. A bomb exploded on Air India Flight 182 from Canada off the coast of Ireland on June 23, 1985, killing 329 people. This included over 280 Canadian citizens including 29 entire families and 86 children under the age of 12. On Wednesday, he placed a wreath at the Air India Memorial to the victims of the "Kanishka" [Air India Flight AI 182] bombing at Commissioner's Park in Ottawa on the 36th anniversary of the horrific tragedy.
"The terrorist bombing of the AI Flight 182 remains the worst terrorist attack on Canada. The majority of the victims were Canadians, and the bombing was the result of a conspiracy conceived, planned and executed in Canada. This was principally a Canadian tragedy, a British tragedy, an American tragedy, a global tragedy," said Bisaria, reported Indo-Canadian Voice.
Read: Indian envoy to Pakistan Ajay Bisaria returns to Delhi
He asserted that it is fitting that Canada commemorates this day as the National Day of Remembrance for victims of terrorism, adding that no religion, faith or cause can justify such violence. "Our most enduring memorial to the victims will be rededicating ourselves to fighting and eliminating terrorism and militancy with strong determination and joint action," he said.
The Indian Consul General in Vancouver, Manish, visited the Air India Memorial at Vancouver's Stanley Park, the Indian Consul General in Toronto, Apoorva Srivastava, visited the Air India Memorials at Queen's Park and Humber Park in Toronto, and the Representative of India to ICAO (International Civil Aviation Organization) Shefali Juneja, visited the Air India Memorial in Montreal and paid homage to the victims. Representatives of the victims' families were present at all the memorials. The gatherings were kept limited to respect social distancing norms in view of the COVID-19-pandemic-related measures.
(ANI)
