Two Canadian MPs on Friday urged the country’s government to ban the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh and prevent its chief Mohan Bhagwat from visiting the country, claiming that his presence in Canada could “lead to social disorder”.

Bhagwat is scheduled to travel to Canada from August 31 to September 1 as part of a global outreach tour.

The RSS is the parent organisation of the Bharatiya Janata Party, the ruling party in India.

Heather Mcpherson and Jenny Kwan – both MPs from Canada’s New Democratic Party – wrote to the country’s ministers for public safety, immigration and foreign affairs seeking that Bhagwat be barred from entering Canada.

“We ask you to declare Mr Bhagwat inadmissible to Canada on account of his history of hate speech, advocacy of violence against religious minorities, targeted intimidation of critics in India and in Canada, and his association with criminal organisations and listed terrorist organisations,” the two MPs wrote.

Mcpherson and Kwan said that there is “considerable evidence” of the RSS’ sphere of influence in Canada. “Muslim, Sikh, Dalit and other minorities in India have been targeted with intimidation and violent threats,” they wrote.

The MPs also noted that United Nations human rights experts have called on Canada to ensure that members of the Sikh community are “protected from violent threats” by Hindutva extremist groups, including the RSS.

“Let us be clear: Mr Bhagwat’s presence in Canada would be a danger to Canadians,” the letter read. “He is not welcome here.”

Civil society groups oppose Bhagwat’s visit

Separately, more than 40 Canadian civil society and faith-based organisations also called on the country’s Public Safety Minister Gary Anandasangaree not to allow Bhagwat to enter Canada, Maktoob Media reported.

The organisations said that the RSS chief’s visit would raise public safety concerns and urged the minister to “protect our communities from far-right extremism, hate speech, and foreign intimidation”.

Among the organisations that made the demand were Canadian Forum for Human Rights and Democracy in India, Canadian Council of Indian Muslims, Canadians for Indian Democracy, South Asian Dalit Adivasi Network, World Sikh Organization and Canadian Council of Muslim Women, Maktoob Media reported.

Written by Neerad Pandharipande. Edited by Sara Varghese.

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