Cork [Ireland], June 23 : BJP leader Dr Narinder Singh Raina, who is part of an Indian delegation in Ireland, on Monday paid tribute to the victims of the 1983 Air India Kanishka flight bombing in which 329 people were killed by Canada-based Khalistani terrorist group.
An Indian delegation led by Union Minister Hardeep Puri is in Cork, Ireland, to attend the 40th anniversary of the Ahakista Memorial of the Kanishka terror attack.
Today marks the 40th anniversary of Kanishka bombing. On 23 June 1985, Air India Flight 182 was blown up by the Canada-based Khalistani terrorist group Babbar Khalsa near Cork, Ireland, resulting in the deaths of all 329 passengers, including over 80 children.
Speaking to ANI, Raina said that the delegation met family members of the victims, and they collectively condemned terrorism. The BJP leader asserted that the whole world should fight against terrorism.
"We have come here under the leadership of Hardeep Puri. On 23 June 1985, Air India Flight 182 was blown up and 329 people died in the attack. This monument has been created in memory of those who have passed away. For the last 40 years, the family members of the victims come here and pay tribute to them. We also met the parents of the kids who were in the plane. There were 83 students. Most of the passengers were from Canada. We collectively condemned terrorism and it's against humanity. Whole world should fight against it..." Raina said.
Earlier today, Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri paid tributes to the victims of the Kanishka bombing and gave a call to bring an end to terrorism. Calling Canada a valued partner and friend of India, he called upon them to deepen the bilateral collaboration in countering this.
Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri, paid homage to the Kanishka Bombing victims at the memorial.
At the solemn event, Puri remembered the victims with deep sorrow and heavy hearts, who passed away forty years ago.
In his speech, he asked the world to come together not only in mourning but also in collective proactive efforts to counter terrorism.
"On behalf of India, I call upon the global community to remember our shared responsibility. I call upon our Canadian friends in particular to deepen our bilateral collaboration in countering this. Canada is a valued partner and a friend of India. We share vibrant cultural and economic relations with each other, and we are bound by democratic traditions, and those ideals require us to act together against all forms of extremism and terrorism. When separatist violence, and separatist voices find sanctuary, when extremist figures glorify violence-- they threaten not just the people whose lives they take away, they threaten societies at large," Puri stated.
He said that by working together, sharing intelligence, shutting off funding channels, countering radicalization, it can be ensured that those who continue to promote hate and terror cannot succeed.
"India stands ready to do more. Our security agencies, our intelligence operators, and our diplomatic channels remain committed to partnering with Canada and all other countries. Let us redouble our efforts to ensure that what happened on June 23, 1985 is never repeated, not here, not in India, not anywhere in the world."
Calling the Kanishka Bombing as one of the deadliest terrorist attacks in aviation history, Puri said that it has left scars that have not healed even after 40 years.
The delegation led by Hardeep Singh Puri includes BJP MLA in Delhi Assembly, Arvinder Singh Lovely; Minister of State in the Uttar Pradesh government, Baldev Singh Aulakh; BJP MLA from Sadulshahar in Ganganagar, Rajasthan Assembly, Gurveer Singh Brar; BJP MLA from RS Pura in Jammu and Kashmir Assembly, Narinder Singh Raina; BJP MLA from Kashipur in the Uttarakhand Assembly, Trilok Singh Cheema, BJP National General Secretary, Tarun Chugh, and India's Ambassador to Ireland, Akhilesh Mishra.