Komagata Maru: The Story of a Ship that Challenged Canada's Racist Immigration Laws
English Hindi Kamagata Maru Book Download
If you are interested in learning about one of the most significant events in the history of South Asian immigration to Canada, you might want to read some books on the Komagata Maru incident. This article will give you an overview of what happened in 1914, when a ship carrying 376 passengers from British India was denied entry to Canada and forced to return to India, where many of them faced violence and death. You will also find out about some of the best books on this topic, written by authors who have done extensive research and analysis. Finally, you will learn how to download these books online in English or Hindi, so you can read them at your convenience.
English Hindi Kamagata Maru Book Download
Introduction
What was the Komagata Maru incident?
The Komagata Maru incident was a tragic episode that exposed the racism and discrimination faced by South Asians who wanted to immigrate to Canada in the early 20th century. It involved a Japanese steamship called Komagata Maru, which sailed from Hong Kong (part of the British Empire) to Vancouver, British Columbia in Canada, passing through Shanghai, China and Yokohama, Japan, in April 1914. The ship carried 376 passengers from Punjab province in British India, most of them Sikhs, but also some Muslims and Hindus. They were all British subjects, as India was under British colonial rule at that time.
However, when they arrived in Vancouver on May 23, 1914, they were not allowed to disembark and enter Canada. They were met with hostility and opposition from the Canadian government and the public, who wanted to keep Canada as a \"white man's country\". The passengers were isolated on board for two months, while a legal battle ensued between their lawyer and the immigration authorities. They also received support and solidarity from the local South Asian community, who raised funds and organized protests for their cause. Eventually, after losing their final appeal in court, the passengers were ordered to leave Canadian waters. On July 23, 1914, the Komagata Maru left Vancouver with most of its passengers still on board. It returned to India, where it was met with more violence and repression from the British colonial authorities.
Why is it important to learn about it?
The Komagata Maru incident is an important part of Canadian history and South Asian diaspora history. It reveals how Canada's immigration policies were shaped by racial prejudice and exclusionary laws that discriminated against people of Asian origin. It also shows how South Asians resisted and challenged these policies, and how they formed a collective identity and a sense of belonging in Canada. The incident has become a symbol of the struggle for human rights and social justice, and a source of inspiration for many generations of Canadians. It has also been recognized and commemorated by the Canadian government and various institutions, as a way of acknowledging the past wrongs and celebrating the contributions of South Asians to Canada's multicultural society.
History of the Komagata Maru incident
The context of immigration policies in Canada
The Komagata Maru incident did not happen in isolation. It was the result of a series of immigration policies that were designed to limit and restrict the entry of non-white immigrants to Canada, especially from Asia. These policies were influenced by the prevailing ideas of race and nationhood, which favored white Europeans over other groups. They were also driven by economic and political interests, which sought to protect the jobs and resources of the dominant class.
One of the earliest examples of these policies was the Chinese head tax, which was imposed on Chinese immigrants from 1885 to 1923. The tax was initially set at $50 per person, but it was increased to $100 in 1900 and $500 in 1903. The purpose of the tax was to discourage Chinese immigration, as they were seen as cheap laborers who competed with white workers. The tax was abolished in 1923, but it was replaced by the Chinese Immigration Act, which banned most Chinese immigration altogether.
Another example was the continuous journey regulation, which was enacted in 1908. This regulation required that immigrants had to come to Canada by a direct and continuous journey from their country of origin, without stopping at any other port. This regulation was aimed at South Asians, as there were no direct steamship services between India and Canada at that time. The regulation effectively prevented most South Asians from entering Canada, unless they had enough money to buy expensive tickets or circumvent the rule.
The journey of the Komagata Maru from Hong Kong to Vancouver
In 1914, a Sikh businessman named Gurdit Singh decided to challenge the continuous journey regulation and charter a ship that would bring South Asian immigrants to Canada. He believed that as British subjects, they had the right to travel freely within the British Empire. He also wanted to expose the hypocrisy and injustice of Canada's immigration laws, and create a public awareness about the plight of his fellow countrymen.
He hired a Japanese steamship called Komagata Maru, which had a capacity of 165 passengers, but he managed to fit 376 people on board. The passengers included 337 Sikhs, 27 Muslims and 12 Hindus, all from Punjab province in British India. They paid between $200 and $300 each for their tickets, which was a considerable amount for them. They also carried their belongings and some provisions for the journey.
The Komagata Maru left Hong Kong on April 4, 1914, and stopped at Shanghai on April 8, where it picked up more passengers. It then sailed to Yokohama, Japan, where it arrived on April 14. There, it faced some difficulties from the Japanese authorities, who were under pressure from Canada to prevent the ship from leaving. However, after some negotiations and interventions from Gurdit Singh and other supporters, the ship was allowed to depart on May 3.
The Komagata Maru reached Vancouver's harbour on May 23, after a long and arduous voyage across the Pacific Ocean. The passengers were hopeful that they would be able to enter Canada and start a new life there. However, they soon realized that they were not welcome.
The legal battle and the public support for the passengers
As soon as the Komagata Maru arrived in Vancouver, it was met with hostility and opposition from the Canadian government and the public. The immigration officials refused to allow the ship to dock or let the passengers disembark. They claimed that the passengers did not meet the requirements of the continuous journey regulation or the minimum amount of money needed to enter Canada. They also argued that the passengers were not bona fide immigrants, but rather political agitators who wanted to cause trouble in Canada.
The passengers were isolated on board for two months, while a legal battle ensued between their lawyer and the immigration authorities. Their lawyer was J. Edward Bird, a prominent civil rights activist who had defended many cases involving racial discrimination in Canada. He argued that the continuous journey regulation was invalid and unconstitutional, as it violated the rights of British subjects to travel freely within the Empire. He also challenged the authority of the immigration officials to detain or deport the passengers without due process.
While Bird fought for their cause in court, the passengers also received support and solidarity from the local South Asian community in The forced departure and the aftermath of the incident
After losing their final appeal in court, the passengers of the Komagata Maru were ordered to leave Canadian waters by July 21, 1914. However, they refused to comply until they were given adequate provisions and assurances for their safety on their return journey. They also resisted the attempts by the immigration officials and the police to board their ship and force them out. On July 19, a violent clash erupted between the passengers and the authorities, resulting in several injuries on both sides.
The Canadian government then decided to use military force to end the standoff. It sent a warship called HMCS Rainbow, which arrived on July 21 and threatened to fire on the Komagata Maru if it did not leave by the next day. The passengers realized that they had no choice but to leave. They also received some help from the local South Asian community, who negotiated an agreement with the government to provide food and water for the ship. On July 23, 1914, after two months of ordeal, the Komagata Maru left Vancouver harbour with 340 passengers still on board. Only 24 passengers were allowed to stay in Canada.
The Komagata Maru sailed back to India, where it arrived in September 1914. It was diverted to Budge Budge, near Kolkata (then Calcutta), where it faced another hostile reception from the British colonial authorities. They wanted to arrest Gurdit Singh and other leaders of the passengers, who they suspected of being involved in anti-colonial activities. The passengers resisted and a riot broke out on September 29. The police opened fire on the crowd, killing at least 19 passengers and injuring many more. Some passengers managed to escape, while others were arrested and imprisoned. Gurdit Singh went into hiding for several years, until he was finally arrested in 1921 and released in 1922.
The Komagata Maru incident had a profound impact on the South Asian community in Canada and India. It exposed the racism and injustice of Canada's immigration policies, and galvanized the community to fight for their rights and dignity. It also inspired some of the passengers and their supporters to join the Ghadar movement, a revolutionary group that aimed to overthrow British rule in India. The incident also influenced public opinion in India and abroad, and contributed to the growing demand for Indian independence.
Books on the Komagata Maru incident
If you want to learn more about the Komagata Maru incident, you might want to read some of the books that have been written on this topic. Here are some of the best books that you can find online:
Undesirables: White Canada and the Komagata Maru by Ali Kazimi
This book is a comprehensive and compelling account of the Komagata Maru incident, based on extensive archival research and interviews with survivors and their descendants. It explores the historical context of Canada's immigration policies, the motivations and experiences of the passengers, the legal battles and public debates that surrounded them, and the legacy of the incident for Canada's multicultural society. It also features rare photographs and documents that illustrate the story.
The Voyage of the Komagata Maru: The Sikh Challenge to Canada's Colour Bar by Hugh Johnston
This book is a classic study of the Komagata Maru incident, written by a renowned historian of South Asian immigration to Canada. It traces The Komagata Maru Incident: A Canadian Immigration Battle Revisited by Arlene Chan
This book is a concise and accessible introduction to the Komagata Maru incident, written by a librarian and author who has a personal connection to the story. Her grandfather was one of the passengers who was allowed to stay in Canada. The book provides a historical overview of the incident, as well as a personal perspective on its impact on the South Asian community and Canadian society. It also includes photographs, maps, timelines, and a list of resources for further reading.
The Komagata Maru and Canada's Anti-Indian Immigration Policies in the Twentieth Century by Satwinder Kaur Bains
This book is a scholarly and critical analysis of the Komagata Maru incident, written by a professor and director of the South Asian Studies Institute at the University of the Fraser Valley. The book examines the incident in relation to Canada's anti-Indian immigration policies and practices in the twentieth century, and how they were influenced by colonialism, racism, nationalism, and globalization. It also explores how the incident shaped the identity and activism of the South Asian diaspora in Canada, and how it has been remembered and represented in various forms of cultural expression.
How to download English Hindi Kamagata Maru books online
If you are interested in reading any of these books on the Komagata Maru incident, you might want to download them online in English or Hindi. There are several ways to do this, depending on the availability and format of the books. Here are some of the steps you can follow:
Steps to download books from Google Books
Go to https://books.google.com/ and search for the title or author of the book you want to download.
Click on the book cover or title to see more details about the book.
If the book is available for preview or full view, you can read some or all of its pages online.
If you want to download the book, look for a button that says \"Download PDF\" or \"Download EPUB\" on the top right corner of the page.
Click on the button and choose a location on your device where you want to save the file.
Open the file with a PDF or EPUB reader app on your device.
Steps to download books from Amazon Kindle
Go to https://www.amazon.com/Kindle-eBooks/ and search for the title or author of the book you want to download.
Click on the book cover or title to see more details about the book.
If the book is available for purchase or free download, you can see its price or a button that says \"Buy now with 1-Click\" or \"Read for Free\" on the right side of the page.
If you want to buy or download the book, you need to have an Amazon account and a Kindle device or app on your device.
Sign in to your Amazon account and click on the button to buy or download the book.
The book will be automatically delivered to your Kindle device or app.
Open your Kindle device or app and find the book in your library.
Steps to download books from Project Gutenberg
Go to https://www.gutenberg.org/ and search for the title or author of the book you want to download.
Click on the book cover or title to see more details about the book.
If the book is available for free download, you can see a button that says \"Download\" on the right side of the page.
Click on the button and choose a format that suits your device, such as PDF, EPUB, MOBI, or TXT.
Choose a location on your device where you want to save the file.
Open the file with a PDF, EPUB, MOBI, or TXT reader app on your device.
Note: Not all books on Project Gutenberg are available in Hindi. You can check the language of the book by looking at its metadata or description. You can also search for books in Hindi by using this link: https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/subjects/search/?query=hindi
Conclusion
Summary of the main points
In this article, you have learned about the Komagata Maru incident, one of the most significant events in the history of South Asian immigration to Canada. You have learned about:
What was the Komagata Maru incident and why it happened
How Canada's immigration policies were shaped by racial prejudice and exclusionary laws
How South Asians resisted and challenged these policies and formed a collective identity and a sense of belonging in Canada
How the incident influenced public opinion in India and abroad and contributed to the independence struggle in India
How the incident has been recognized and commemorated by the Canadian government and various institutions
What are some of the best books on this topic that you can read online in English or Hindi
How to download these books online from Google Books, Amazon Kindle, or Project Gutenberg
Call to action for the readers
If you are interested in learning more about the Komagata Maru incident and its impact on Canada's multicultural society, we encourage you to read some of the books that we have recommended in this article. You can also visit some of the websites and resources that we have provided for further information. You can also share this article with your friends and family who might be interested in this topic. By reading and sharing this article, you are helping to raise awareness and appreciation for the history and contributions of South Asians to Canada.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are some of the frequently asked questions about the Komagata Maru incident and their answers:
What was the name of the ship that carried South Asian immigrants to Canada in 1914?The name of the ship was Komagata Maru, a Japanese steamship chartered by Gurdit Singh, a Sikh businessman from Hong Kong.
How many passengers were on board the Komagata Maru?The ship carried 376 passengers from Punjab province in British India, most of them Sikhs, but also some Muslims and Hindus. They were all British subjects, as India was under British colonial rule at that time.
Why were they not allowed to enter Canada?They were not allowed to enter Canada because they did not meet the requirements of the continuous journey regulation or the minimum amount of money needed to enter Canada. They also argued that the passengers were not bona fide immigrants, but rather political agitators who wanted to cause trouble in Canada.
What happened to the passengers after they left Canada?The passengers were forced to return to India, where they faced violence and repression from the British colonial authorities. Some of them were killed, some were jailed, and some went into hiding. Some of them also joined the revolutionary movement for Indian independence.
How has Canada recognized and commemorated the incident?Canada has recognized and commemorated the incident in various ways, such as by issuing stamps, erecting monuments, naming parks and streets, and declaring a national day of remembrance. The Canadian government has also apologized for the incident on several occasions, most recently by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in 2016.
What are some of the books that you can read on this topic?Some of the books that you can read on this topic are: Undesirables: White Canada and the Komagata Maru by Ali Kazimi; The Voyage of the Komagata Maru: The Sikh Challenge to Canada's Colour Bar by Hugh Johnston; The Komagata Maru Incident: A Canadian Immigration Battle Revisited by Arlene Chan; The Komagata Maru and Canada's Anti-Indian Immigration Policies in the Twentieth Century by Satwinder Kaur Bains.
How can you download these books online in English or Hindi?You can download these books online in English or Hindi from Google Books, Amazon Kindle, or Project Gutenberg, depending on the availability and format of the books. You can follow the steps that we have provided in this article to do so.
This is the end of the article. I hope you enjoyed reading it and learned something new. Thank you for your attention and interest. 71b2f0854b