Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Monday paid heartfelt tributes to the 329 victims of the 1985 Air India ‘Kanishka’ bombing, marking the 40th anniversary of the tragedy—one of the deadliest aviation terror attacks in history.
In a post on X, CM Gupta wrote, “I pay tribute to the 329 innocent people who lost their lives in this heinous terror attack.”
She emphasised the enduring lesson of the incident: the urgent need for a global united front against violent extremism. “India’s policy is clear—zero tolerance towards terrorism and extremism. National security is our top priority,” she said.
The Chief Minister underlined that ‘New India is taking decisive steps at every level to root out terrorism’, reinforcing the country’s determination in counter-terror measures.
Earlier in the day, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar also commemorated the victims, calling the bombing a grim reminder of the dangers of unchecked extremist ideologies.
“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,” he posted on X.
Air India Flight 182 was en route from Montreal to Mumbai via London and Delhi when a bomb exploded in the aircraft’s cargo hold on June 23, 1985, over the Atlantic Ocean.
The Boeing 747 had made a scheduled stop in Montreal, with the bomb believed to have been loaded there.
Shortly after contacting Shannon Air Traffic Control in Ireland, the plane vanished from radar.
All 329 on board, including 22 crew members, perished in the blast.
Investigations later revealed that the bombing was the result of a transnational terror plot, with the Khalistani extremist group Babbar Khalsa widely held responsible.
The court convicted Inderjit Singh Reyat for constructing the explosive device, while authorities identified Talwinder Singh Parmar as the chief conspirator.
To commemorate the occasion, a high-level Indian delegation led by Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri is visiting the Ahakista Memorial in Cork, Ireland.
The delegation includes BJP National General Secretary Tarun Chugh and MLAs from five Indian states: Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Uttarakhand, and Jammu & Kashmir.
The memorial event serves as a solemn reminder of the global threat posed by terrorism and the enduring need for international solidarity in its eradication.
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