'Dark Forces Energised Again': Indian Origin Canadian MP Says Khalistani Ideology Behind Kanishka Flight Bombing Persists

On Thursday (20 June), Indian-origin Canadian Member of Parliament Chandra Arya commemorated the 1985 Air India bombing, which claimed the lives of 329 people, and emphasised that the ideology responsible for the attack still exists among some individuals in Canada.

Speaking in the Canadian Parliament, Arya pointed out that the celebration of former Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi's assassination by "Khalistani supporters" indicates that "dark forces have been energised again".

He also voiced concerns on behalf of Hindu Canadians regarding recent incidents, as per a report by NDTV.

Arya stated, "Mr. Speaker, June 23rd is the National Day of Remembrance for Victims of Terrorism. 39 years ago, on this day, Air India Flight 182 was destroyed mid-air by a bomb planted by Canadian Khalistani extremists. This tragedy, which killed all 329 passengers and crew members, remains the largest mass killing in Canadian history."

"Hindu Canadians are rightfully concerned. I stand in solidarity with the families of the victims of the Air India bombing," he added.

His remarks have come ahead of the 39th anniversary of the Air India Flight 182 bombing.

On 23 June 1985, the Air India 182 Kanishka flight, traveling from Montreal to London to Delhi, exploded mid-air over the Atlantic Ocean, off the coast of Ireland, due to a "cowardly act of terror carried out by Canada-based Khalistani terrorists," as stated by the Indian High Commission in Ottawa in a 2023 press release.

The Consulate General of India in Toronto has also announced a memorial service for the victims of the 1985 tragedy on 23 June at South Lawns, Queen's Park.