Hindu organisations back Canada’s Combatting Hate Act, call for strong enforcement
Ottawa, June 20 (IANS/WISHAVWARTA) Several leading Hindu organisations on Saturday welcomed the passage of Canada’s Bill C-9, the Combatting Hate Act, describing it as a long-awaited and necessary step toward strengthening protections against hate, intimidation, and extremist activity in the country.
Coalition of Hindus of North America (CoHNA) said that the legislation marks an important step in addressing the growing incidents of intimidation faced by Canadians, including alleged Khalistani extremist threats targeting the Hindu community in recent years.
In a statement shared on X on Saturday, the CoHNA said, “As one of the groups that has had to live with an alarming rise in religious hate and bigotry, Hindu Canadians welcome the protections, which should enhance security without curtailing religious freedom.”
“The new law provides bubble-zone-style protections for access to places of worship and community spaces, along with expanded hate-symbol provisions, and is a much-needed response to the rise in intimidation Canadians have faced, including Khalistani extremist intimidation targeting the Hindu community in recent years. We have already seen the effectiveness of these at the city level,” it added.
Meanwhile, the Hindu Canadian Foundation (HCF) called on the Government of Canada to fully enforce the provisions of Bill C-9 and act on threats identified by the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS), including those linked to Khalistani extremist networks operating in the country.
“With this legislation, Canada has corrected a historic wrong by removing the word ‘Swastika’, a sacred symbol of peace for millions of Hindus, Buddhists, and Jains in Canada, and replacing it with the accurate hate symbol, Hakenkreuz. This correction reflects the values of accuracy, respect, and inclusion that define our multicultural society,” the HCF posted on X.
“More than 100 organisations across Canada supported this correction, and today’s outcome demonstrates what is possible when communities stand together for truth and fairness,” it added.
The HCF stressed that legislation alone is not enough and that safety can only be achieved when strong laws are backed by effective enforcement.
“Hindu Canadians continue to face targeted intimidation from Canada-based Khalistani extremists (CBKEs) who attempt to import foreign conflicts into our neighbourhoods. These networks have been linked to harassment, vandalism, glorification of violence, and coordinated disinformation campaigns. Bill C-9 gives Canada stronger tools, but tools must be used. Canada cannot protect its communities without decisive, consistent enforcement,” it added.
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