Delhi CM pays tribute to Kanishka bombing victims; calls for zero tolerance for terror

New Delhi, June 23 (IANS) Reiterating India’s zero tolerance for terror, Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Monday called upon the world to unite against violent extremism and paid homage to the 329 victims of the 1985 Air India 'Kanishka' bombing.

Marking the 40th anniversary of one of the deadliest acts of aviation terrorism in history, CM Gupta said on X, “I pay tribute to the 329 innocent people who lost their lives in this heinous terror attack.”

“This incident still reminds us of the cruelty of terrorism and the need for the whole world to unite against it. India's policy is clear, there is no place for terrorism. Zero tolerance towards terror and extremism is our resolve and national security is our top priority,” she said, adding that “New India is taking decisive steps at every level to root out terrorism”.

Earlier, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar paid tributes to the victims and stressed the need for global zero tolerance towards terrorism, calling the tragedy a grim reminder of the consequences of allowing such ideologies to persist.

"On the 40th anniversary of Air India 182 'Kanishka' bombing, we honour the memory of the 329 lives lost in one of the worst acts of terrorism. A stark reminder of why the world must show zero tolerance towards terrorism and violent extremism," Jaishankar wrote on X.

Air India Flight 182 was en route from Montreal to Mumbai via London and Delhi when it was destroyed mid-air over the Atlantic Ocean on June 23, 1985, after a bomb exploded in its cargo hold.

The Boeing 747 aircraft, named after Emperor Kanishka of the Kushan dynasty, had just made a scheduled stop at Montreal's Mirabel airport, where additional passengers boarded.

The flight resumed its journey toward London Heathrow before it vanished from the radar shortly after establishing contact with Shannon Air Traffic Control in Ireland.

The explosion, which occurred off the Irish coast, killed all 329 people on board, including 22 crew members. The investigation revealed that the bomb had been placed in luggage originating from Vancouver, pointing to a transnational terror conspiracy.

The attack was largely attributed to the Khalistani extremist outfit Babbar Khalsa. Inderjit Singh Reyat, a British-Canadian national, pleaded guilty in 2003 for his role in assembling the explosive device.

Another key conspirator, Talwinder Singh Parmar, a founding member of the extremist group Babbar Khalsa, was believed to be the mastermind behind the attack.

To mark the solemn anniversary on Monday, a high-level Indian delegation led by Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri is in Ireland to participate in the memorial service at the Ahakista Memorial in Cork.

The delegation includes BJP National General Secretary Tarun Chugh and elected representatives from five Indian states: Arvinder Singh Lovely (Delhi MLA), Baldev Singh Aulakh (Minister from Uttar Pradesh), Gurveer Singh Brar (MLA from Rajasthan), Trilok Singh Cheema (MLA from Uttarakhand), and Narinder Singh Raina (MLA from Jammu & Kashmir).

--IANS

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