Q. What was Komagata Maru?
(a) A political party based in Taiwan
(b) Peasant communist leader of China
(c) A naval ship on voyage to Canada
(d) A Chinese village where Mao Tse Tung began his Long march
Ans: (c) A naval ship on voyage to Canada
Explanation: The correct answer is (c) A naval ship on voyage to Canada.
Komagata Maru was a naval ship that embarked on a journey from India to Canada in 1914. It was chartered by a group of Indian immigrants, primarily Sikhs, who aimed to challenge the discriminatory immigration laws imposed by the Canadian government at that time.
The ship carried around 376 passengers, mainly Punjabi Sikhs, intending to immigrate to Canada. However, upon arrival in Vancouver, the passengers were denied entry due to the discriminatory policies that restricted immigration from certain countries, particularly targeting South Asians.
The Canadian authorities refused to allow the passengers to disembark and enforced a two-month-long standoff. Ultimately, the Komagata Maru and its passengers were forced to return to India. Upon their arrival in Calcutta (now Kolkata), clashes broke out between the passengers and British forces, resulting in deaths and injuries.
The Komagata Maru incident became a symbol of the discriminatory treatment faced by South Asian immigrants and became a significant event in the struggle against colonial oppression and racial discrimination.
Therefore, the correct answer is (c) A naval ship on voyage to Canada.
