Canadian Hindu groups back RSS chief visit

More than 100 Canadian Hindu and civil liberties organizations have written to Prime Minister Mark Carney and senior ministers urging the government to allow Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh chief Mohan Bhagwat to visit Canada. The letter, addressed to Carney, Public Safety Minister Gary Anandasangaree, Immigration Minister Lena Diab, and Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand, argues that any decision on Bhagwat's admissibility should be based on credible evidence and due process rather than political pressure. This follows calls from NDP MPs Jenny Kwan and Heather McPherson, along with other groups, to bar Bhagwat from entering the country over allegations of hate speech and links to terrorism. The signatories, representing over a million Canadian Hindus, reject these allegations as unsubstantiated and warn that excluding Bhagwat could be perceived as anti-Hindu prejudice. They emphasize Canada's principles of multiculturalism, freedom of religion, and equality before the law. Bhagwat is scheduled to visit the US, Canada, and the UK from August 25 as part of the RSS's centenary celebrations. The letter lists over 100 supporting organizations, including the Canada India Foundation, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, and Vishwa Hindu Parishad of Canada.