NCCM-RSS Report

Adapted from “The RSS and Its Impact in India and Canada” — CCIM Awareness Report

Understanding the RSS and Hindutva

The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) is an India-based paramilitary and ideological organization that serves as the nucleus of a global network promoting Hindutva — an ideology that envisions India as a Hindu-first nation. Through its affiliated groups, collectively known as the Sangh Parivar, the RSS seeks to reshape India’s secular democracy into a majoritarian state where minorities are subordinated to a narrow definition of Hindu identity.

Founded in the early 20th century by Keshav Baliram Hedgewar, Vinayak Damodar Savarkar, and later expanded by Madhavrao Sadashivrao Golwalkar, the RSS movement drew heavily on ethno-nationalist ideals. In their writings, early leaders cited Nazi Germany’s “racial purity” as an example to emulate — revealing the authoritarian inspiration behind its nationalist vision.

However, it is essential to note that Hindutva does not represent Hinduism. India’s hundreds of millions of Hindus encompass diverse, pluralistic traditions and do not subscribe to the RSS’s extremist interpretation.

Ideological Roots and Actions

The RSS and its affiliates have been associated with campaigns of hate and exclusion directed at Muslims, Christians, Sikhs, and Dalits (formerly “untouchables”).
Its rhetoric and mobilization strategies have played central roles in communal violence, including pogroms and lynchings in India. The movement’s influence extends beyond India’s borders through cultural, political, and charitable fronts that mask their ideological goals under claims of “service” (sewa) or “cultural education.”

“If we Hindus in India grow stronger, in time these Muslim friends of the league will have to play the part of German Jews.” — V.D. Savarkar

“Germany has shown how impossible it is for races and cultures having differences to be assimilated… a good lesson for us in Hindustan.” — M.S. Golwalkar

These statements, originating from early RSS texts, highlight how Hindutva’s founders fused religious identity with racial ideology — a framework fundamentally opposed to India’s secular and inclusive Constitution.

RSS Activities and Global Network

The Sangh Parivar operates through a complex network of domestic and international organizations, including the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) — currently India’s ruling party. Abroad, its presence includes groups such as the Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh (HSS), active in countries including Canada, the UK, and the United States.

Key areas of concern include:

• Humanitarian Relief & Fundraising:
  “Sewa” initiatives often double as channels for ideological outreach and fundraising linked to RSS-aligned causes in India.

• Education & Ideological Training:
  Overseas shakhas (training camps) host structured programs promoting Hindutva narratives among youth and diaspora communities.

• Political Influence:
  Global lobbying networks like the Overseas Friends of the BJP (OFBJP) advocate pro-Hindutva positions abroad, amplifying the movement’s political reach.

Hate Rhetoric in Canada

The report documents worrying signs of Hindutva-inspired hate speech and Islamophobic rhetoric emerging in Canada.
An example occurred during the 2020 COVID-19 lockdown when Canadian municipalities allowed mosques to broadcast the adhan (call to prayer) once daily during Ramadan. While most Canadians welcomed this as a gesture of inclusion, a minority of voices—including a GTA real estate agent associated with the HSS, the international arm of the RSS—responded with inflammatory online posts mocking Muslim traditions.

Such incidents reveal how RSS-linked ideology and networks can contribute to polarization within Canada’s multicultural society — mirroring the communal divisions the RSS has fomented in India.

Global Spread and Call for Vigilance

In December 2021, during a far-right conference in Haridwar, India, affiliated extremists openly called for violence against Muslims to establish a Hindu-only state. These radical declarations, circulated online, demonstrate how Hindutva extremism transcends borders, spreading through digital and diaspora channels worldwide.

The presence of these networks in Canada poses serious concerns:

1. RSS-linked charities receive funding through Canadian tax-exempt channels.

2. Groups with open connections to the RSS are organizing within Canada.

3. Hate rhetoric inspired by Hindutva ideology targets minorities and undermines multicultural harmony.

Why This Matters

Canada’s democracy is built on pluralism, equality, and the right to dissent. The rise of any ideology that undermines these principles—whether religious, racial, or political—requires public awareness and critical examination.

This report urges policymakers, human rights organizations, and citizens to monitor and address the spread of extremist ideologies under the guise of cultural or charitable engagement, ensuring that Canada remains a beacon of tolerance and unity.

“It is vital that law and policy makers around the world who guard the stability of liberal, multicultural democracy become aware of the RSS’s global machinations.” — CCIM Awareness Report

In Summary

The rise of Hindutva-inspired activism represents a global challenge to pluralism. The Canadian Council of Indian Muslims (CCIM) calls for vigilance, interfaith dialogue, and policy action to prevent hate from eroding Canada’s social fabric — affirming that diversity, not division, defines strength.