2014 - Komagata Maru Incident | Commemorative Coin

The 3rd commemorative coin of 2014 was released to mark the Centenary of Komagata Maru Incident.

The Komagata Maru incident remains one of the most striking examples of racial discrimination faced by Indians during the early twentieth century, highlighting the challenges confronted by immigrants under colonial rule. In 1914, the Japanese steamship Komagata Maru, chartered by a Sikh entrepreneur, Gurdit Singh, set sail from Hong Kong carrying 376 passengers, mostly Sikhs along with some Muslims and Hindus from Punjab. Many of them were veterans of the British Indian Army or skilled workers hoping to build a better life in Canada, which at the time was part of the British Empire. They believed that, as subjects of the same empire, they had the right to travel and settle anywhere within it. However, the journey exposed the racial barriers embedded within the immigration laws of the era.

Canada had imposed strict regulations aimed at restricting non-European immigration, especially from Asia. One such rule was the “continuous journey” regulation, which required immigrants to arrive directly from their country of origin without any stopovers—something impossible for ships traveling from India. When the Komagata Maru arrived in Vancouver on 23 May 1914, the Canadian authorities refused to let the passengers disembark, citing technicalities of the regulation. Despite weeks of legal battle, negotiations, and support from local South Asian communities, the government held firm, reflecting widespread prejudices and fears of Asian immigration.

For nearly two months, the passengers endured dire conditions aboard the ship. Food and water were scarce, and the passengers relied heavily on local Indian residents who risked penalties to supply them with essentials. The standoff became a major symbol of resistance against racist policies, drawing international attention and sparking debates about the rights of colonial subjects. Eventually, the Canadian authorities forced the ship to leave on 23 July 1914 under naval escort.

The plight of the passengers did not end with their departure from Canada. When the Komagata Maru returned to India and reached Budge Budge near Kolkata on 29 September 1914, it was met with suspicion by British colonial authorities, who feared that the passengers had been influenced by revolutionary ideas while abroad. A confrontation broke out when the police attempted to arrest Gurdit Singh and certain others, leading to violence in which several passengers were killed and many were imprisoned. The incident intensified anti-colonial sentiment across India and became a rallying point for nationalist leaders and movements seeking justice and equality.

In the years that followed, the Komagata Maru incident became an enduring symbol of the struggles faced by Indians overseas and the injustices of discriminatory immigration policies. It highlighted the contradictions of an empire that demanded loyalty from its subjects while denying them equality. The story has since been widely commemorated in India and abroad, serving as a reminder of the resilience of those who stood against injustice and the long journey toward securing dignity and rights for immigrant communities.

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