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Question

The authorities of which country denied the permission to land the ship Komagata Maru, carrying Indians?

This question was previously asked in
SSC CGL 2023 (Tier-II) Paper 1 Previous Year Paper (26-Oct-2023) (Shift-1)
The correct answer is

Canada 

Understanding the Komagata Maru Incident and Canada's Role

The Komagata Maru was a Japanese steamship that sailed from Hong Kong, Shanghai, Moji, and Yokohama to Vancouver, Canada, in 1914. It carried 376 passengers, mostly Sikhs, but also 24 Muslims and 12 Hindus, all British subjects.

The journey was an attempt by Indian immigrants to challenge Canada's continuous journey regulation, which required immigrants to travel in a continuous journey from their country of origin to Canada. At the time, there was no direct steamship service from India to Canada, making this regulation effectively a way to prevent most Indian immigration.

Why Canada Denied Entry to the Komagata Maru

Upon arriving in Vancouver's harbour on May 23, 1914, the passengers were not allowed to disembark. The Canadian authorities enforced their strict immigration laws, including the continuous journey regulation. Despite the passengers being British subjects, the Canadian government was determined to limit immigration from India.

For two months, the ship remained in the harbour while legal battles and protests ensued. Eventually, a court ruling upheld the continuous journey regulation, and the ship was ordered to leave Canadian waters. Faced with a lack of supplies and mounting tension, the Komagata Maru was escorted out of the harbour by a Canadian naval vessel.

Analyzing the Options

  • New Zealand: New Zealand also had immigration policies affecting Asians, but the Komagata Maru incident specifically involved Canada.
  • America: While the United States had its own discriminatory immigration laws (like the Chinese Exclusion Act), the Komagata Maru was sailing to Canada, not the US.
  • Australia: Australia implemented the White Australia Policy, which restricted non-European immigration. However, the Komagata Maru incident took place in Canada.
  • Canada: The Komagata Maru sailed to Vancouver, Canada. The Canadian authorities, enforcing the continuous journey regulation and other restrictive policies, denied entry to the passengers. This option correctly identifies the country involved.

Based on historical records, the country that denied permission to land the ship Komagata Maru, carrying Indian passengers, was Canada.

Revision Table: Key Facts about Komagata Maru

Aspect Details
Ship Name Komagata Maru
Year of Incident 1914
Origin Sailed from Hong Kong, etc.
Destination Vancouver, Canada
Number of Passengers 376 (mostly Indian, British subjects)
Country Denying Entry Canada
Reason for Denial Continuous Journey Regulation & discriminatory policies

Additional Information: The Continuous Journey Regulation

The continuous journey regulation was a Canadian immigration law passed in 1908. It stated that immigrants must travel directly from their country of origin to Canada without stopping. Since there were no direct shipping routes from India to Canada at the time, this regulation effectively prevented Indian immigrants from entering Canada legally. The Komagata Maru passengers attempted to circumvent this by chartering a ship, highlighting the discriminatory nature of the policy.

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