U.s. leaders help install ghadar party’s plaque

During British rule in India, the Ghadar Party was founded by many Indian migrants, including PunjabiSikhs, in the USA and Canada with the aim to secure India’s independence. A plaque was dedicated to “the Ghadarites” at the centennial celebration of the party in Astoria, Oregon, in 2013. But it mysteriously disappeared on 23 October this year. A new plaque was installed some days ago, thanks to donations from American politicians and Indian NRI businessmen. It was installed by the City Council and then Astoria Mayor Willis Van Dusen in a park along the Columbia River, situated next to the Finnish Socialist Hall Site, where the historic meeting took place on 21 April 1913 When contacted, Karen Mellin, City Councilperson responsible for the 100-year commemoration of the Ghadar Movement in, said that the incident had shocked all those who had participated in the celebrations. When the police failed to crack the case, the former Mayor had ordered a new plaque. Donations came from him and Oregon Senator Betsy Johnson, Lovekesh Kumar, owner of a super mart in Warrenton, and Bahadur Singh, Lovekesh’s brother.“It is our privilege and a great honour to help recognise the workers who had inspired my motherland’s independence,” Bahadur Singh told this paper. “We are grateful to live in a community that recognises our ancestors’ freedom struggle,” adds Lovekesh. The plaque recognised the founders of the Indian liberation movement, who immigrated to Astoria from Eastern India, mostly as workers at the Hammond Mill in Alderbrook. A huge celebration was held to honour the legacy of these individuals during Ghadar Party’s centennial celebration, by installing the plaque at the site of where the movement was born.