COMMEMORATION OF 187TH ANNIVERSARY OF ARRIVAL OF INDENTURED LABOURERS 2 NOV 2021

Acting Prime Minister, Hon’ble Mr. Steven Obigadoo

Vice Prime Minister, Hon’ble Mrs. Leela Devi Dookun-Luchoomun

Minister of Land Transport & Light Rail; Minister of Foreign Affairs, Regional Integration & International Trade, Hon’ble Mr. Alan Ganoo

Minister of Arts and Cultural Heritage, Hon’ble Mr. AvinashTeeluck

Hon’ble Ministers

Leader of the Opposition, Hon’ble Mr. Charles Gaetan Xavier – Luc Duval

Hon’ble Parliamentary Private Secretaries

High Commissioner of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh & Dean of the Diplomatic Corps, H.E. Mrs. Rezina Ahmed

Hon’ble Members of Parliament

Acting Lord Mayor of Port Louis, Mr. Jean Georges Daniel Augustin

Chairperson of the AapravasiGhat Trust Fund, Mr. RishirajKanhye     

Namaskar. Good morning.  Bon jour to everyone!

2. I feel deeply privileged to represent the Government of India at this important commemoration. This solemn occasion marks the foundation of the special relations between Mauritius and India - a relationship that is so unique that it is difficult to imagine any other comparable relationship between two nations. It is unique because nowhere in the world did 453,000 Indians arrive on a distant island and transform it into a paradise on earth, through their blood, sweat, and tears. It is unique because the umbilical connection between Mauritius and India has continued to thrive through the years, and both nations have stood with one another through thick and thin. It is also unique because the great Mauritian indentured labour experiment that we are remembering today, went on to create a whole new Girmitya Indian community and culture overseas, which has, like Mauritius, developed its own special identity today. Going beyond Mauritius and India, this day is also a living example of the triumph of the indomitable human spirit in the face of unimaginable adversity; a timely and powerful message to a world that has discovered its resilience in the face of an unprecedented Covid-19 global pandemic.
3. I am told that in past years when there was no Covid, a distinguished guest from India was usually invited to address this momentous occasion. It is because, as one such Indian dignitary said: ‘we are two countries, but one people’. And so, this historic day is not only important to Mauritius but also to India and to all Indians.

4. India joins you in paying homage as Mauritius celebrates its Indian roots and its Indian ancestry, today. As someone recently said: “you can take an Indian out of India, but you cannot take India out of an Indian”. The reverence, the deep attachment and the affection with which Indian-origin Mauritians have preserved, promoted and passed on Indian traditions to younger generations, not only touches the heart of every Indian; it also leaves us profoundly humbled. At a time when young Indians are getting westernized, Mauritius reminds us of the need to value our own traditions and nurture our roots. As the Honorable Prime Minister Shri PravindJugnauth said a few days ago in his Diwali speech, our forefathers came from India, carrying precious little except the memories of their Indian traditions.  The Ramayan that they carried, their GeetGawai, their faith in God, their festivals and traditions, their languages – gave them great resilience, and courage to overcome challenges and build a new life here. This day reminds all of us of Indian descent, to rediscover the strength and solace inherent in India’s timeless spiritual values, and cultural legacy. In the face of abject deprivation and dehumanizing conditions, if the Indian indentured labourers could find the self-belief to educate their children and make them Prime Ministers, Presidents and Ministers to lead this country; I think we can all imbibe faith in our ability to strive for a better future. These Indian ancestors survived Quarantine after climbing the 16 famous steps at AapravasiGhat and went on to build this beautiful country; today reminds us that we too can prevail over Covid-19 and rebuild our economies and our futures, even better than before!
5. On this day, India and all Indians also join Mauritius in celebrating the wonderful diversity of this Rainbow nation. The diversity of India is not only reflected in the diversity of Indian languages, regions, faiths and customs here, but also in the wonderful mélange of diverse cultures from different parts of the world from where Mauritians came. Like India, Mauritius has assimilated these different threads to weave a beautiful new fabric that is truly unique to Mauritius – a Mauritius that is vibrant, democratic, multi-cultural and multi-ethnic. While India is seen as the world’s largest democracy, Mauritius is also a shining example of democracy, not only in Africa but in the whole world. Today, we remember that it is this diversity that has enriched us as countries and lent us strength through inclusiveness.
6. Today is also a day that reminds us that we cannot build our countries without hard work. Mauritius and India are prospering because of the efforts and enterprise of our ancestors and our people. From a colony with bleak prospects at the time of independence, Mauritius has transformed into a flourishing welfare state and an Upper Middle Income economy in just five decades. Today, we are reminded to stay true to our Dharma, to discharge our duty with sincerity, and to recommit ourselves to striving for betterment and excellence.  The 30 million strong Indian diaspora, the largest diaspora in the world, has shown that they are capable of being world leaders, captains of industry, the best and brightest in their adopted countries, without losing their Indianness. Mauritius is a shining example of this spirit!
7. This auspicious day is also an opportune moment to recommit ourselves as governments and peoples, to do all that we can to nurture the ties between the Indian diaspora and their motherland. The PravasiBharatiya Divas, the PravasiBharatiya Kendra in Delhi, the special carve out for Mauritius in our OCI scheme, the Know India Programme are some of the outreach efforts being made by the Government of India. We are very privileged that after the Honorable Prime Minister Shri Pravind Kumar Jugnauth received the Sammaan Award and graced our PravasiBharatiya Divas as the Chief Guest, we will be honouring his illustrious father, a great friend of India and the Father of Modern Mauritius the late Shri AneroodJugnauthji, in less than a week, with the distinguished Padma Vibhushan Award conferred by the Hon’ble President of India.

8. On our part, we are grateful to the Government of Mauritius for memorializing its Indian ancestral heritage through the UNESCO-recognized AapravasiGhat premises and Museum. I am particularly happy that the written narratives in the Museum are also being translated into Hindi, the language of our Indian ancestors who came here. I thank Dr. SaritaBoodhooji and others who organized the auspicious Yaj here at these historic steps this morning. When I arrived here as High Commissioner 11 months ago, the first place I visited in Mauritius was the AapravasiGhat. For all Indians, this visit is a holy pilgrimage to pay homage to all those brave Indian souls who climbed up those steps and surmounted several hardships, to enable their descendants to climb the ladder of leadership and steer this beautiful country towards a better future. On a personal note, I revisited the Museum a few days ago with my family and it was once again, a deeply moving, emotional journey for me. We look forward to our collaborative flagship Metro project reaching the footsteps of the AapravasiGhat from Victoria Terminal soon, bringing history full circle, by reconnecting the historic place where our Indian ancestors landed in the 19th century with India’s 21st century metro!

9. In this spirit, India also looks forward to advancing the Indentured Labour Route project, which would be invaluable to understanding the Mauritius-inspired mass migration of over 1 million Indians to countries in the Indian Ocean region and the Carribbean and the fascinating stories of how they built unique new societies and cultures. The Government of Mauritius’s support for the Intercontinental Slavery Museum and Mauritius’s contribution to the UNESCO’s Slave Route Project are equally commendable and I complement the Government, especially the Ministry of Arts and Cultural Heritage, for sustaining the collective heritage of this delightfully diverse rainbow nation. In this context, I also wish to thank the Hon’ble Minister of Gender Equality & Family Welfare Mrs. Kalpana Devi Koonjoo-Shah for enriching the GIRMITIYA Conference 2021 organised by the India Foundation on 16th September with a valuable Mauritian perspective. I am also delighted to hear the Hon’ble Prime Minister’s recent announcement of the introduction of a new Bhojpuri News Bulletin on MBC. I am sure that we will hear the famous Bhojpuri song “Kalkatta se Chutal re Jahaj, Pawaniya Dheere Chalo”. I hope that this immortal saga of the journey of history, culture and hope which came with migrants from India and made its new home in Mauritius, continues to contribute to Mauritius’s peace, prosperity and growth. Aapsabko Mauritius kesunherebhavishyakeliyebahutshubhkaamnayein. Bharat hamesha Mauritius kesaathrahega. 

Dhanyavaad.