The North News
New Delhi/Chandigarh, July 23
Rajya Sabha member Sant Balbir Singh Seechewal has urged the Rajya Sabha to officially recognise the Komagata Maru ship as ‘Guru Nanak Jahaj’ in historical records and to nationally commemorate July 23 each year as a mark of respect for the passengers who faced colonial injustice. In a letter addressed to the Vice Chairman of the Rajya Sabha, MP Seechewal highlighted that 111 years ago, on 23 July 1914, the ship departed Canadian waters to return to India, following a controversial denial of entry by Canadian authorities. The vessel, carrying 376 passengers – primarily Sikhs, along with Hindus and Muslims – was turned away after anchoring off Vancouver for two months.
Upon its return, the ship docked at Bajbaj Ghat, Kolkata, on 29 September 1914, where British police opened fire, killing 19 passengers. The incident remains one of the most tragic symbols of colonial-era racial exclusion and the early struggles of the Indian diaspora.
MP Seechewal noted that the ship was officially registered under the Guru Nanak Steamship Company by Ghadar movement leader Baba Gurdit Singh Ji, who had intended to challenge Canadian immigration laws that barred Indians. The vessel, referred to in documents and on tickets as ‘Guru Nanak Jahaj’, also carried the Guru Granth Sahib and saw the performance of Shabad Kirtan onboard, underlining its spiritual and cultural significance.
Quoting works such as “The Heartbreaking Story of the Passengers of Sri Guru Nanak Jahaj” by Baba Gurdit Singh and historian Dr Gurdev Singh Siddhu’s account, Seechewal emphasised that historical references affirm the name ‘Guru Nanak Jahaj’.
The MP has urged the Rajya Sabha to pass a resolution recognising the ship by this name and to honour the martyrs who lost their lives in the tragic incident. He called for 23 July to be commemorated nationally as a day of reflection and tribute to the victims of colonial injustice.
