Padma Shri for Air India Kanishka inquiry judge demanded
December 9th, 2010 - 11:24 am ICT by IANS
Los Angeles, Dec 9 (IANS) The Indian Oversees Congress in the US has urged the Indian government to confer Padma Shri, India’s fourth highest civilian honour, on Air India Kanishka inquiry head who has made far-reaching recommendations in his report.
Former Canadian chief justice John Major, who headed the public inquiry into the lapses that led to the bombing of the Kanishka flight 25 years ago that killed all 329 passengers on board, in his report in June has recommended a major overhaul of the Canadian security to avoid such tragedies in the future.
In a letter to President Pratibha Patil, the Indian Oversees Congress’ chapter in California where 16 of the Air India bombing victim families now live, has sought the Indian civilian award for the Canadian judge for submitting a report sympathetic to the victim families.
“After a very long twenty-five years of tears, Justice John Major has delivered the Air India inquiry report. Reading through it shows that he showed exemplary courage and compassion (for the victims) of the worst-ever ‘NRI-Air India Holocaust’ of the (last) century,” the letter to the Indian President says.
“We request you on behalf of the families of the innocent ‘NRI martyrs’ to recommend Justice John Major of Canada for the Padma Shri 2011.”
Vikram Bajwa of the California chapter of the Indian Oversees Congress told IANS, “We have also got in touch with Justice John Major to thank him for his work and seek his consent for recommending his name for the Indian civilian award.”
He said, “We are also writing to Congress president Sonia Gandhi for including Justice John Major in the list of the Padma Shree recipients for 2011.”
In his inquiry report submitted in June, Justice John Major has also recommended an ex gratia payment to the victim families.
Though the Canadian government has accepted many of its recommendations, it says it still working with the victim families to fix the amount of ex-gratia.
The Kanishka Flight 182 from Toronto to Delhi was blown off near the Irish coast June 23, 1985, by a bomb planted by Sikh extremists to avenge the Indian army action at the Golden Temple to flush out militants led by Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale.
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- Air India victims echo judge's remarks on Sikh radicals - May 12, 2011
- Kanishka victims reject Canada's $24,000 ex-gratia - Jul 11, 2011
- Kanishka victims not after money, says campaigner - Dec 14, 2010
- Vikram Bajwa to highlight justice for Kanishka crash victims - Dec 31, 2010
- No ex-gratia for Kanishka victims in action plan (Lead) - Dec 08, 2010
- Kanishka victims did not get justice: Canadian judge - May 11, 2011
- No ex-gratia for Kanishka victims in action plan - Dec 07, 2010
- Kanishka victims call inquiry report bitter-sweet - Jun 18, 2010
- Kanishka victims call inquiry report bitter-sweet (Lead) - Jun 18, 2010
- Canadian PM to apologise to Air India Kanishka victims - Jun 23, 2010
- Kanishka victims to get ex-gratia before Christmas - Oct 29, 2010
- 25 years later, Canada offers $25,000 to each Kanishka victim family - Oct 23, 2010
- Air India Kanishka bombing report next week - Jun 11, 2010
- Kanishka report out, Canada to apologise, pay compensation - Jun 18, 2010
Tags: air india, air india bombing, air india kanishka, bajwa, california chapter, canadian judge, canadian security, congress president sonia gandhi, exemplary courage, indian government, indian president, inquiry judge, inquiry report, john major, padma shri, president pratibha patil, public inquiry, twenty five years, victim families, years of tears