Qazi Mizan: A new report purports to shine a light on how a Hindu nationalist movement has become entrenched in influential circles in the Indian diaspora in Canada and how politicians at all levels have been drawn into its sphere.The report, commissioned by the National Council of Canadian Muslims and the World Sikh Organization, focuses on the operations of the RSS, a paramilitary volunteer organization. The RSS is based in India, but has a flourishing global network.

Supporters of the RSS adhere to an ideology known as Hindutva, which espouses the idea of India as a Hindu-first nation. The report  points out that the founders of the RSS admired Nazi Germany’s attempts to “keep up the purity of race and culture.”“It is a vision that is supremacist at its root and relegates the minorities of India into second-class citizens,” says Steven Zhou, a spokesperson for the National Council of Canadian Muslims.

“The RSS is one of the most powerful, non-governmental groups in the world, and its influence extends into Canada,” Zhou said.Other than a few media reports of the harassment of academics who are critical of Hindutva, little is known about how the RSS works in Canada.

As Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and concerns about Chinese political interference drive Canada to deepen its relationship with India, the organizations behind the report say Canadian officials need to be aware of the depth of RSS influence on the Indian diaspora in this country. India is also the chair of the G20 this year.

the report puts forth its explanation of the origin of the RSS, and its influence on India’s government. Drawing from 145 academic and journalistic sources, the report purports to trace the RSS connections to prominent Indo-Canadian charities and lobby groups. Zhou says the report took nearly two years to complete.

“The people who believe in this or are connected to this network are Canadians. They are pushing a set of interests around this idea of Hindunationalism which is remaking India into a country for, and run by Hindus first and foremost,” Zhou said.In India, the RSS is more than just a religious or cultural group. Academics who study South Asian politics also consider the RSS a paramilitary organization and its members now hold the highest office in the land.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the governing party, the BJP are part of the political wing of the RSS.The Hindu-nationalist government is continuing its systematic discrimination and stigmatization of minorities such as Muslims, Sikhs and Dalits - a group of people belonging to the lowest strata of the Hindu caste system. HRW says the party’s supporters are committing more violent attacks on targeted groups.

“The type of human rights violations and extremism that is associated with the RSS is very much an ideology that`s not at the fringe. It is the state ideology at this current juncture,” says Jaskaran Sandhu, spokesperson for the World Sikh Organization. Sandhu says Canada can’t ignore India’s human rights abuses as it pursues greater economic ties with its fellow democracy.Meanwhile the NCCM says it has raised concerns about the RSS network with elected officials at all levels of government. It is calling on the federal government to ban 13 Indian politicians from entering Canada who have called for violence against Muslims.