Disinformation Fact Sheet Human Rights Media Misinformation

NCCM & WSO Exposed: Unmasking their biased and misleading RSS Report

The joint report by the NCCM and WSO titled “Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) Network in Canada” is a poorly executed attempt to push a malicious agenda of misinformation and opinion-based claims. The report appears to be driven by individuals and entities with an anti-India, anti-Hindu, and anti-RSS agenda in Canada. It is clear that the report’s objective is to further public opinion-building exercises that promote anti-Hindu and anti-India rhetoric, rather than providing facts and credible evidence in front of the average Canadian.By making baseless accusations against the Hindus and RSS, the report puts the security and well-being of thousands of people of Indian origin at risk in Canada. It also attempts to silence the voices of Hindu-centric organisations that do not share the views of the NCCM and WSO. This report only serves to promote Hinduphobia and could lead to the normalisation of the persecution of Hindus in Canada. It is essential to demand answers from NCCM and WSO as reports that are based on bias, misinformation, and opinion can cause real harm by promoting harmful stereotypes and dividing communities. Only by seeking facts and objectivity can we create a more equitable and just society for all.

Disinformation Fact Sheet Hindus Human Rights Misinformation

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Explainer: Ulterior Equality Labs, a controversial council member and Seattle City’s absurd anti-caste discrimination law

The Seattle City Council enacted an amendment on February 22, 2023, which added “caste” to its anti-discrimination statutes. This makes Seattle the first city outside of South Asia to pass anti-caste discrimination legislation. According to the ordinance (now the legislation), caste is a system of social stratification that has been prescribed by law, traditions, and religion. In contrast, the passage of this Act is predicated on the discrimination of Hindus under the guise of an effort to abolish discrimination. In the West, motivated and agenda-driven organisations like the Equality Labs and contentious council members have used the opportunity to rally support to malign Hindus and Hindu practises, furthering falsehoods about Hindus and fueling hatred towards Hindus. The legislation derives its rationale from a 2016 report by the United Nations Special Rapporteur on minority issues, which asserts that caste is a global issue and cites Equality Labs which provides a local context and sees it as a human rights issue. However, the hasty ordinance rests its reasoning on the phenomenon, but fails to give statistical or scientific data to support its reasoning. As a result, the ordinance promotes institutionalise prejudice against a specific Hindu minority group. In this explainer, we analyse the anti-caste discrimination ordinance, its backers, and their possible reasoning for supporting an anti-Hindu and anti-Indian legislature.

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NYT, BBC fall into the pattern

Anti-Hindu, India propaganda unleashed with intent, based on agenda. Their journalistic pursuits come under scrutiny It is not India’s proud tradition of a free press that is at stake. It’s anti-India and anti-Hindu propaganda unleashed with impunity by certain media houses that has taken centre stage. First, it was the BBC that went whole hog against Hindus and India. Now, The New York Times has joined the bandwagon of some international media outlets that have been on campaign mode against India, Hindus and Prime Minister Narendra Modi as their whipping boy. If the NYT editorial board claims of ‘shrill Hindu nationalism’ being the culprit for anything purportedly to have happened to press freedom in India, it’s grossly wrong. The New York Times editorial board comment in its edition of February 12, 2023 on the issue of press freedom in India is completely flawed seeking to set a particular narrative. Sweeping remarks on purported ‘Intimidation, Censorship, Silence or Punishing independent news media in India’ is not factually correct, untrue and a figment of Imagination. India toeing an independent alternative line on issues different from left leaning self-proclaimed liberalists cannot be dubbed as anti-press freedom. Hindus worldwide and in India believe, profess and push for an open, transparent and clean diverse society governed sans corruption, nepotism and exclusivity. India celebrates oneness in its diverse amalgamation of cultures, religious faiths under the Sanatan Dharmic umbrella. Thousands of years of classical civilizational heritage is testimony to Hindus ‘all embracing’ nature and spirit. Not understanding Hindus from their perspective leads to a false notion of ‘shrill nationalism’ kind of narratives that are superficial and erroneous. Neither France based Reporters without Borders (RSF) has the means, bandwidth, methodology or credible data to prove that press freedom was at stake in India. NYT justifying its editorial comment on the questionable World Press Freedom Index report of this organization seems to be fuelled by anti-India and anti-Hindu agenda nursed carefully to meet its objective. If hitting at the famed growth story is the objective, then The New York Times should definitely know that India is invincible and the fake narratives may not work. Leave alone the downgrading India on Press Freedom Index, even the Indian map has been displayed wrongly by the Reporters Without Borders. NYT’s editorial comment is based on reports that depict Kashmir without acknowledging the illegal occupation by Pakistan and China’s occupation of Aksai Chin areas of the North Eastern Indian region. The New York Times editorial backed a BBC documentary that was aggressively anti-Hindu and anti-India in nature. This was called out by British Member of Parliament Bob Blackman who described the BBC documentary as ‘poor journalism, badly researched’. Leave alone The New York Times, even the BBC cannot deny its left wing bias and accept an alternative, independent philosophy of Hindus based on ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’, world as one big family. BBC’s left wing bias is known to Britishers. In Margaret Thatcher’s government of ‘80s, several members of the British Parliament brought home this point. Conservative MP Tebbit had aptly described the BBC as ‘stateless person’s broadcasting corporation’. Another conservative MP Peter Bruinvels termed the BBC as ‘Bolshevik Broadcasting Corporation’ pointing to Leftists control over the news coverage. To say that press freedom came under attack after 2014 following Narendra Modi’s ascent to be Prime Minister and Hindu nationalist shrillness is again grossly misguided and propagandist owing to a colonial mind-set of extreme nature. Late Prime Minister Smt Indira Gandhi had banned BBC from India coverage on two occasions owing to its ‘biases’ in its earlier documentaries also. Perhaps, NYT may not have a plausible explanation for such a ban in late ‘70s. The BBC was in trouble in India in the early 1970s. Even at that time, the Indian diaspora was outraged by BBC documentaries named Calcutta and Phantom India. Louis Malle directed French documentary mini-series Phantom India painted a biased picture of India by emphasising the underdeveloped regions as opposed to the developing ones. If Press freedom was under attack as propagated by BBC and NYT, how’s it that the editorial in The New York Times was not taken down? Thousands of stories filed by a strong network of foreign media professionals based in India that are critical of the government have hit the wires, newspapers and TV outlets freely each day. So, the charge that India, Hindus and by extension Narendra Modi have suppressed ‘free media’ is only agenda peddling by some media houses.

Disinformation Fact Sheet Hindus Human Rights Misinformation

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Brief: Amazon’s Hindu bigotry challenged!

Anti-Indian and anti-Hindu groups have continually generated systematic and organised campaigns against Sanatan Dharma. Leading technology companies play a prominent part in the same. Amazon, an American multinational technology corporation, routinely builds a negative connotation of Hindutva, a positive and tolerant way of life for millions of Hindus around the world. Amazon’s removal of the book “Modi and Me: A Political Awakening” by Sourav Dutt’s about India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi-related book citing “Hindutva literature” from its platform is a recent example of its Anti-Hindu bigotry that has come to light.

Disinformation Fact Sheet Hindus Human Rights Media Misinformation Policy World

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Explainer: BBC, a repeat offender

India: The Modi Question is the most recent attempt by the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) to taint the image of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on a worldwide scale. The documentary tries to revive the Indian Supreme Court decided issue of the 2002 Godhara violence that ensued after the burning of the Sabarmati Express, which killed 59 Hindu Pilgrims on February 27, 2002, and attempts to portrays Modi as a key instigator of the violent Hindu-Muslim clashes and a major source of hatred against Muslims in the country. The Indian Ministry of External Affairs correctly labels this documentary a “propaganda piece” and made with a “colonial mindset” as it misleads viewers, especially a western audience in numerous ways to shape negative “public opinion” about Narendra Modi and the Modi-lead Indian government ground breaking work for the people of India and humanitarian works world-wide.

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Why the tirade against ‘Hindus’?

Does this point to intellectual bankruptcy of ‘The Guardian’ or part of an agenda driven journalistic pursuit that needs to be debunked Hindus neither spew hatred nor Chauvinism ever. By belief, Hindus are tolerant and all inclusive in nature, thought and practice. ‘Vasudaiva Kutumbakam’, entire humanity across world is a large family is the concept which Hindus in India and elsewhere have believed and are wedded to. In blatant diatribe, ‘The Guardian’ editorial “Modi’s India: the danger of exporting Hindu Chauvinism” (Sunday edition of November 27, 2022) is an unacceptable position on Hindus that have lived for ages peacefully and contributed socio-economically in about 100 countries including US, the UK and Europe. India and Hindus over the years has had been a victims of radicalization and imperialistic aggression of every shade and variety including that from United Kingdom for over two centuries. Plunder, abuse and destruction of the entire Hindu civilization was at the root of this anti-human invasion that happened all in the name of business. In fact, these historical facts were hidden from the younger generations in UK forcing a few British youngsters to recently take up a project to explore afresh the abuse that was heaped on Hindu civilization over centuries by Britain. Whether ‘The Guardian’ as a media house likes it or not, India’s leadership at G-20 and its lead in cleaning up the environmental mess created by industrialized western economies cannot be questioned. This ‘clean up’ act of India continued immediately after Paris accord was concluded by the then COP 26 though the much promised $ 100 billion funds and technology in support from the western polluters never happened. With regards to state of Muslims in India, ‘The Guardian’ editorial board and the management seems to be clueless on tremendous strides made by 200-odd million people (State of Religious Minorities in India) across sectors including political spectrum. Muslims are neither intimidated second class citizens as claimed by ‘The Guardian’ nor have they been targeted as suggested in the edit. Hindus have never ever supported hatred of any kind in stark contrast to what has been pushed as ‘agenda’ based writing through ‘The Guardian’ editorial that lacks basis, evidence or testimony. Blowing out of proportion, a few handful incidents to denigrate the entire Hindu civilization, India and its political leadership by extension is rather bankruptcy of worst kind seen in recent times. While BBC had pursued a similar ‘anti-Hindu’ and ‘anti-India’ editorial line, the British broadcaster had to face huge protests from otherwise peace loving Hindus living in United Kingdom. ‘The Guardian’ has built its reputation over decades and moving towards disrepute through such flippant commentary does not augur well for British media at large. Denying Prime Minister Narendra Modi visa while he was chief minister of Gujarat was an unpardonable mis-adventurism that US administration had resorted to. Realizing its mistake perhaps was understandable to say the least. ‘The Guardian’ did not care to recognize the sequence of Godhra riots of 2002 when peaceful Hindus that included women and children were burnt alive by a frenzy misled radicalized Muslim mob. US Commission on International Religious Freedom has been on an anti-India and anti-Hindu trip over the years. Why should Hindus become the whipping boys in managing larger political posturing by political parties in US? Hindus and India are well within their right to debunk biased and inaccurate observations made in the reports dished out periodically to suit the predominant US diatribe. Birmingham and Leicester attacks were clearly aimed at Hindus that were executed in a premeditated fashion by design. Whether ‘The Guardian’ acknowledges or not, harsh reality is that targeted attacks on Hindus and fermenting Hinduphobia is on the rise. Several media houses including ‘The Guardian’ have peddled half-truths and lies that masjids were attacked by Hindus. Henry Jackson Society’s centre on radicalization and terrorism in its detailed report has exposed this ‘false narrative’ on Hindus in the Leicester attacks by Muslims. Tolerance and forgiving the perpetrators of colonial rule and radicalization has been trademark of Hindus and not the other way.

Disinformation Fact Sheet Hindus Misinformation World

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Explainer: Weaponisation of social media against Hindus in UK

Leicester, the heartland of the Hindu community in the United Kingdom, is home to the second-largest Hindu populace in Europe. Widely known for its vibrant Hindu culture and stunningly beautiful Hindu festivities throughout the world. Since late August 2022 until September 2022, the city’s minority British Hindu community had been the target of deliberate, organised, and systematic acts of violence including vandalisation of a local Hindu temple by South-Asian origin Muslims in the UK. For nearly a month from late August until September 2022, Hindus were overwhelming victims of violent crimes like attempted stabbings, looting, organising to commit crimes, vandalism, and hate speech. Despite assurances of safety from the local authorities and Leicestershire police, British Hindu homes and business establishments in Leicester were targeted by organised, violent Islamist mobs. Extreme Islamist groups in the UK waged a systematic terror campaign against British Hindus while they were in Leicester, subjecting them to extreme threats, assaults, and trauma. A large-scale mobilisation of violent extremist Islamists and criminals to Leicester with the intention of damaging the city’s Hindu population was made possible by online hate campaigns that were planned both within and outside of the UK to incite hatred and spread misinformation against Hindus. This was reiterated by a recent research entitled “In a Cyber Social Swarming Precedes Real World Riots in Leicester: How Social Media Became a Weapon for Violence” released on November 17, 2022 by the National Contagion Research Institute (NCRI), a cyber threat intelligence organisation. In this explainer; we discuss its findings…. read more

Disinformation Fact Sheet Media Misinformation

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Brief: Cybersecurity, Meta and The Wire Fiasco

In October 2022, a media outlet called the Wire, which presents itself as a critical dissenting voice and champion of free speech, published a three-story series alleging that Meta, the big tech and social media giant, had given unchecked authority to Amit Malviya, the head of the Indian ruling Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) Information Technology (IT) Cell. It claimed that by using Meta’s XCheck Program, Malviya and his staff could censor content on Facebook and Instagram that they did not agree with. Meta rejected the dubious assertions made by the Wire. Read more…

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Canada Turns Breeding Ground for Khalistani Subversives!

Hindus were attacked in Mississauga during Diwali celebrations. Slogan mongering & sword wielding Khalistanis led these attacks. Canada seems to be going bonkers on tackling the malice of a distinct minority as well as vocal Sikhs that profess Khalistan. While peace-loving large community of Sikhs living in Canada have contributed to its prosperity and progress, the minority Khalistani faction seems to be the ones that are on rampage. And, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s government seems bending backwards to support this miniscule number that made hue and cry of a Khalistani referendum staged farcically. In India and elsewhere, overwhelmingly Sikh community has found peace with their inclusion in the larger Hindu society. But, in last few years, the extremist elements that supported and fuelled terror in the Indian border state have been pushing the Khalistani envelope. What’s more worrying is the diabolical stance taken by successive Canadian Prime Ministers on tackling this vociferous and aggressive minority sikh fringe elements. Calls for putting a stop to the farce of Khalistan referendum have gone on deaf ears. Instead, the Canadian government has taken the line that it cannot stop Sikhs from expressing their views as long as the process was peaceful, democratic and within parameters of Canadian laws. Under no circumstance would the ordinary Canadians support a separatist movement of any kind. While India has already banned Khalistani propagating outfits, Canada should follow suit rather than looking the other way. Frequent attacks on Hindu population, their property and places of worship by these subversives are symptomatic of the malice brewing in Canadian society. By no stretch of imagination would such acts be endorsed in the guise of free speech. Global community will have to join hands in debunking both the Khalistanis and their handlers in the Canadian government. If the Trudeau government is committed to rule of law, peace and tranquility in Canada and India, strong bilateral relations across gamut of issues, then it should come forward with a complete ban on scheduled November 6 farcical referendum on Khalistan. By same measure, can India allow its land to be used for a bogus referendum or vote on Ontario being part of Canadian Republic? Indian government’s recent demarche to the Justin Trudeau-led Canadian government to put a stop to the alleged Khalistan referendum is more than justified and as per international laws of jurisprudence. Ahead of the alleged Khalistani vote, Hindus were attacked in Mississauga city on October 24 evening during Diwali celebrations. Slogan mongering and sword wielding Khalistani supporters executed pre-mediated violent attacks periodically. For instance, the Shrimad Bhagavad Gita Park in Brampton was vandalized with local government twiddling its thumb. Majority sikh population in India and Canada have never supported the Pakistan-backed Khalistani separatist elements. On September 18, banned outfit Sikh for Justice (SFJ) staged yet another farcical vote on Khalistan. In apparent solidarity with these subversive elements, Trudeau administration provided the government-run Gore Meadows Community Center in Brampton for the misdeed. The small fringe group in Canada that supports Khalistan uses radical rhetoric to foment anti-India sentiment. It is deeply disturbing that the management of most Gurdwaras in Canada have not been with community that believes in its tenth guru, Gurunanak who himself was a great peacenik. Before the September 14 vote, Khalistani terrorists defaced the Bochasanwasi Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan (BAPS) temple in Toronto with anti-India slogans, i.e., ‘Khalistan Zindabad, Hindustan Murdabad’. The temple walls were vandalized and protests from Indian High Commission in Ottawa went unheard or responded to. In recent past Khalistani extremists have had targeted Hindu temples repeatedly. Six Hindu temples were attacked in Toronto also in a bid to divide the Hindus and Sikhs that have co-existed and prospered peacefully in India and world over. Miscreants stole money from donation boxes, vandalized the idols of Gods and Goddesses, damaged temple property as well as ornaments from the stolen idols. Canadian Hindus were legitimately concerned and living under a cloud of fear while the federal government looked away. Time and again, Khalistani radicals and Pakistanis targeted non-Muslims and non-Sikhs. Attacks on properties and temples of Hindus are evidence that Hinduphobia is on the rise in Canada. Hindus are utterly appalled by the Trudeau government’s approach and police failure to take decisive action against the radical elements. In November 2021, National Investigation Agency (NIA) in India had formally requested its Canadian counterparts to designate Sikhs for Justice as a terrorist outfit. Instead of banning the outfit, SFJ was given a free run and government assistance thrown in to help the separatists. In the process, Canada has openly shielded and protected anti-India propagandists and entities. Unfortunately, Liberal Party of Canada of Justin Trudeau has long supported the extreme Khalistani elements. It is believed that some of his party’s politicians were close to Khalistani sympathizers and activists. It is reported that Sukh Dhaliwal and Andrew Kania, two Liberal MPs, presented a petition in the House of Commons in 2010 demanding that the government recognize 1984 Sikh riots in India as an act of genocide. In a private motion in Ontario assembly in 2017, Liberal Party member Harinder Malhi referred to 1984 riots as acts of genocide. In 2018, a couple of Canadian politicians happened to participate in the Khalsa Day Parade. Even Prime Minister Justin Trudeau attended this event in 2017. Canadian government seems to knowingly entertain the idea of Khalistan under the leadership of Trudeau. In the process, Canada has become a breeding ground for Pakistan-backed Khalistanis. Time and again, they challenged sovereignty of India while Canada ignored global call to refrain them. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s inaction showed that he has had explicitly or implicitly supported the attacks on the sovereignty of another nation.

Disinformation Media Misinformation

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Stay Off Politics!

Big tech companies and media outlets must refrain from pushing political envelope and hidden agenda in India, US and elsewhere K.A.Badarinath Has Meta, US-based technology giant that owns Facebook, Whatsapp and Instagram commit an unpardonable crime by reportedly allowing a large Indian political party leader to tamper with posts that were inimical to its interests? Or, ‘The Wire’, a news partner organisation of The Washington Post commit a grave unethical act that sullied the entire Indian media industry? The debate has not led to plausible logical answers to the state of play vis-à-vis the large technology companies seeking to dictate the political narrative globally and Indian media companies playing dirty in the process. One thing for sure is that ‘The Wire’ four part news stories do not stand scrutiny of making basic checks after a possible story tipoff was got as required in any given journalistic pursuit. One of the two experts that apparently served as technical consultants Kanishk Karan has stated unambiguously that he never helped in the outlet’s reporting on the issue though ‘The Wire’ claims exactly the opposite. Can The Washington Post disown its responsibility in entering into reporting partnerships like ‘The Wire’ that was found wanting in even making basic checks on a story before pointing to Meta – BJP leader Amit Malaviya arrangement on wetting posts? Or, the partnership with ‘The Wire’ was borne out of The Washington Post editorial board’s steadfast policy of pursuing an anti-India, anti-Modi, anti-BJP and anti-Hindu editorial line? From the Meta angle, does it not tantamount to extending its policy of playing truant in US while debunking the earlier Donald Trump’s Republican administration and siding with the Democrats to overthrow a democratically elected government? Like its large technology peers, Meta seem to have plunged itself full time to determine the political trajectory either against or in favour of the ruling alliance. If there’s any grain of truth in the accusation of giving some privileges to BJP leaders on its platforms, what prevents Meta from reaching out to the opposition for playing the role of kingmaker in India? Big question therefore is should technology companies not refrain from politicking and do their businesses as per Indian Laws? Businesses in technology space or others, have to be apolitical globally and in India as well. Siding with political parties or overthrowing governments is an unacceptable business crime should be an unacceptable agenda point to any company, big, small or medium enterprise. It’s not just commercial enterprises that need to display complete transparency on political posturing or narrative management. Large or small media outlets cannot shed their responsibility towards their readers sans hidden political agendas and proclivities. (Author is Director and Chief Executive of CIHS)

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