The Komagata Maru incident was a pivotal event in 1914 that exposed Canada's discriminatory immigration policies. A Japanese steamship carrying 376 passengers from British India challenged these unjust laws, leading to a two-month standoff in Vancouver harbor that would have lasting consequences for both Canadian and Indian history.
By the early 1900s, Canada had established discriminatory immigration laws specifically targeting Asian immigrants. The most restrictive was the continuous journey regulation, which required immigrants to travel directly from their country of origin to Canada without any stops. This made it virtually impossible for people from India to immigrate, as there were no direct shipping routes between India and Canada at that time.
Gurdit Singh, a wealthy Sikh businessman, decided to challenge Canada's discriminatory immigration laws by chartering the Japanese steamship Komagata Maru. The ship began its journey from Hong Kong in April 1914, making stops in Shanghai, Moji, and Yokohama to pick up passengers. On May 23rd, 1914, the Komagata Maru arrived in Vancouver harbor carrying 376 passengers, mostly Sikhs, but also Hindus and Muslims from British India.
Upon arrival in Vancouver harbor, Canadian immigration authorities refused entry to almost all passengers, allowing only a few who had previously resided in Canada to disembark. The ship remained anchored in the harbor for two months while legal battles and negotiations took place. The local South Asian community in Vancouver provided support and raised funds for legal challenges, but the courts ultimately upheld the Canadian government's right to deny entry under the discriminatory immigration laws.
On July 23rd, 1914, the Canadian navy forced the Komagata Maru to leave Vancouver harbor. The ship returned to Budge Budge near Kolkata, India, on September 29th. British Indian authorities viewed the passengers as political agitators and attempted to force them onto a train to Punjab. This led to a violent riot resulting in 19 passenger deaths and two British officers killed. The Komagata Maru incident became a powerful symbol of racial discrimination and injustice, contributing significantly to the growing anti-colonial movement in India and highlighting the contradictions of the British Empire.