NDP urges Canada to sanction India, ban RSS amid emergency debate on foreign interference
Ottawa: During an emergency debate in the Canadian House of Commons, MPs raised serious allegations of Indian government involvement in crimes against Canadian Sikhs, prompting calls for significant actions against India. The New Democratic Party (NDP) has proposed that the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) be designated a terrorist organisation in Canada. Additionally, they urged for a ban on entry for Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) officials linked to violence and sanctions against India.
Liberal MP Ruby Sahota shared distressing accounts from constituents, highlighting threats and extortion calls from individuals connected to criminal gangs in India. “I have had constituents come to me with videos of FaceTime calls from leaders of gangs sitting in prisons in India. How does that happen?” she questioned, emphasising the need to address foreign interference.
NDP MP Heather McPherson echoed the urgency of the situation, calling for a halt to arms sales to India and sanctions against the country. Liberal MP Randeep Sarai stated that all available tools should be employed by the government, including expulsion of Indian diplomats, in light of allegations from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) regarding India's involvement in homicides and extortions.
NDP leader Jagmeet Singh stressed the need to pause intelligence sharing with India, citing concerns about the safety of Canadian citizens. He labelled the RSS as a “violent, extremist, right-wing organisation” that should be banned.
Hindu and Sikh Canadian MPs united in condemning the alleged actions of the Indian government, which Delhi has denied. Randeep Sarai clarified that the issue transcends religious divides, framing it as a matter of Canadians standing against the Indian government.
Political tensions were evident as parties blamed each other for the rise in foreign interference in Canada. Conservatives and NDP members criticised the Liberals for their delayed response to establishing a foreign agent registry, while the Liberals accused the Conservative leadership race of being influenced by Indian interference.
Conservative MP Jasraj Singh Hallan highlighted the alarming rise in violent crime and extortions, attributing these trends to the Liberal government's policies. He claimed that under Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's leadership, violent crime has surged significantly, exacerbating the safety concerns within Canadian communities.
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Karnataka Governor gives assent to legislation against ‘honour killing’ in inter-caste marriages
Bengaluru: The government has brought into force the Karnataka Freedom of Choice in Marriage and Prevention and Prohibition of Crimes in the name of honour and tradition (Eva Nammava Eva Nammava) Act, 2026, intended to restrict ‘honour killings’ in inter-caste marriages.
According to The Indian Express, the legislation received assent from Governor Thawar Chand Gehlot on April 9 and was officially notified in the state gazette on April 10. The law had been passed unanimously by the state legislature last month.
The Bill was proposed by the Congress government in the wake of caste-linked ‘honour killings’ in the state, including the December 21, 2025, murder near Hubli of a 20-year-old Lingayat woman by her father for marrying a man from another caste.
The phrase ‘Eva Nammava Eva Nammava’ in the title is in reference to the message of universal humanity that the Lingayat saint Basavanna espoused. Basavanna, who rebelled against the caste system to lay the foundation of the Lingayat faith system, an amalgamation of all castes, used the words meaning ‘he is a part of me’ to say all people are one.
Under the new law, crimes committed in the name of ‘honour’, including murder, assault, threats, and social boycott, are specifically addressed with stringent punishments. ‘Honour killing’ offences carry a minimum imprisonment of five years, while serious assaults attract at least three years in jail.
The new law defines the social boycott of inter-caste couples as forcible eviction to remote corners of villages, refusal to provide services, refusal to provide work, refusal to conduct business, denial of loans and admissions to schools, and makes it punishable.
In the case of ‘honour killings’ per se, the new law prescribes a minimum imprisonment of five years, and in the case of assaults, a prison term that is not less than three years for serious injury and two years for minor injuries.
The offences under the proposed law are cognisable and non-bailable, which means police can carry out arrests without court permissions after taking up a case.
The legislation follows several reported inter-caste relationship-related killings in Karnataka in 2025, including cases in Raichur and another involving 18-year-old Kavita.
The law to protect the freedom of choice in marriages is among several social bills that the Congress government has brought out in line with its policies for the backward and downtrodden communities in the state.
