Sahib Singh Thind, the man behind official apology for the Komagata Maru incident, has added another rich chapter to his legacy.
When B.C. government representatives were giving out King Charles III Coronation Medals to those who have contributed to society recently, he chose not to accept it in spite of his strong profile.
Thind was one of the many recipients of the King Charles coronation medal within South Asian communities. His name was recommended by an NDP MLA, but he did not join those who received the medal from the B.C. premier and lieutenant-governor in August.
Thind is an instrumental organizer of an annual community carnival organized every summer in Surrey to celebrate the history of South Asian elders who fought against racism in Canada and the British occupation of India. As part of his commitment, he launched a petition drive asking for an official apology for the infamous Komagata Karu episode of 1914. The Japanese vessel by that name was carrying more than 350 Indian passengers when it was forcibly returned from the Vancouver harbour under a discriminatory immigration regulation.
Following the signature campaign launched by Thind, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau issued an apology in the House of Commons in 2016.
The 1982 film Gandhi depicted the Jallianwala Bagh massacre.
Thind seeks Jallianwala Bagh apology
Apart from that, Thind has been canvassing for an official apology in the British Parliament for the Jallianwala Bagh massacre. In 1919, close to 1,000 peaceful protesters were killed by troops in British-ruled India in Amritsar, Punjab. They had gathered at a public park to raise their voices against draconian laws and the arrests of leaders of the freedom movement.
Thind’s efforts led to the commemoration of the centenary of the Jallianwala Bagh massacre in the B.C. legislature. Moreover, Thind has always stood up for Indigenous communities in Canada. He told this writer that his conscience did not allow him to receive any badge of honour representing colonial power.
“When all through my journey as an activist I have been fighting against the [British] Empire and its residue, why should I accept such a medal?” he asked.
Notably, his story of rejecting a royal medal wasn’t widely reported by South Asian media outlets. Meanwhile, several well-known Punjabi media personalities received this medal at the August public event.
Gurpreet Singh is a B.C. author and co-founder of Radical Desi. Follow Pancouver on Twitter @PancouverMedia and on Instagram @PancouverMedia.
