Chandigarh 23 July 2025- Speaking at a function organized by the Central Sri Guru Singh Sabha here today, eminent historian Dr. Gurdev Singh Sidhu said that the ship that went to Canada one hundred and eleven years ago should be renamed from Komagata Maru to Guru Nanak Ship. He said that last year, the City Council of Vancouver in Canada had issued a proclamation naming the ship as Guru Nanak Ship on the Commemoration Day of Komagata Maru, this time the City Council of Surrey has also issued a proclamation naming the ship as Guru Nanak Ship. He said that when Baba Gurdit Singh had rented this ship from a Japanese company, he had named it Guru Nanak Ship in the Gurdwara of Hong Kong. He said that before operating the ship, he had formed the Guru Nanak Steamship Company.
Dr. Gurdev Singh Sidhu said that after the Bajbaj massacre, Baba Gurdit Singh had named the books he had written while in his grave, Guru Nanak Jahaj and the painful plight of the passengers of Guru Nanak Jahaj. So, based on these evidences, the name of this ship should be Guru Nanak Jahaj.
On this occasion, writer Rajwinder Singh Rahi, senior journalist Jaspal Singh Sidhu, Sarabjit Singh Dhaliwal, Harbans Singh Sodhi, Daya Singh Delhi, Major Harmohinder Singh, journalist Hamir Singh, Pritam Singh Rupal expressed their views.
Finally, a resolution was presented by the President of the Central Sri Guru Singh Sabha, Prof. Sham Singh and General Secretary Dr. Khushal Singh, according to which a demand was made from the Punjab government that the day on which the passengers of this ship were martyred at the Bajbaj port of Calcutta on 29 September 1914, be declared a historical day.
On this occasion, a book written by Baba Gurdit Singh and written by Dr. The book 'Guru Nanak Zahaj' edited by Gurdev Singh Sidhu was released.