Hindu Conference of Canada

The Hindu Conference of Canada is a registered non profit organization based in Toronto, Canada. According to their website they have branches in Ontario, Alberta and BC. [ [http://www.hccanada.com Hindu Conference of Canada | HCC ] ] Their stated aim is to raise awareness of Hindu and Indian issues and to fight Anti-Hinduism prejudices.

Formed in November 2004, their activities initially were restricted to publication of op-eds and articles in large Canadian newspapers such as the "National Post" [http://www.hccanada.com/welcomemat.pdf] "Financial Post" [http://www.hccanada.com/starstate.pdf] and "Toronto Sun". [http://www.hccanada.com/imamhindus.pdf]

In 2006, they held events including a vigil for victims of Mumbai, India terrorist bombings [http://www.hccanada.com/weeklyvoice31july06.pdf] and participated in the July 26, 2006 'Stand for Israel' rally in Toronto. [http://www.cjnews.com/viewarticle.asp?id=9786]

The HCC endorsed the Conservative Party of Canada during the 2006 federal election. [http://www.hccanada.com/HCCEndorsement.pdf] Prior to the 2007 Ontario election, the HCC participated in the "One School System Network" which opposed the proposal by the Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario to extend public funding to faith-based schools. [Lindgren, April, "End public funding of religious schools: education activists; PROVINCIAL ELECTION OFFER; Groups to support candidates who champion their cause", "National Post", June 21, 2007] [http://upge.wn.com/?template=cheetah-photo-search/index.txt&query=secularist&language_id=-1] In the context of Indian politics the HCC is supportive of economically and socially progressive governance [Banerjee, Ron, "India's star state: Gujarat got to be India's leading industrial state through small government and corruption-free policies", "National Post", July 12, 2005] . The Hindu Conference of Canada re-iterated their support of good governance as co-organizers of a seminar entitled 'Investing in India, Opportunities and Challenges: The Role of Good Government': this was a joint event in September 2007 with the University of Toronto-Rotman School of Management and the IIT Alumni Association. [http://www.iitalumnicanada.org/iitac/Docs/IITAC-HCC-ROTMAN%20Seminar.pdf]

In November 2006, the organization worked in cooperation with the Hindu Student Association and Indian Student Association at Ryerson University to mount an exhibition about the ethnic cleansing of Hindu minorities (Kashmiri Pandits) in Kashmir by Pakistan-backed Islamic militants. This was done as part of a Holocaust and Genocide Awareness Week. Controversy erupted on campus when threatening hate emails were sent to the Pakistani Student Association regarding the event by another Pakistani student for not denouncing the film as a lie in accordance with Pakistani state propaganda. [ [http://www.theeyeopener.com/article/3081 The Eyeopener Online ] ]

In February 2007, the HCC co-sponsored a public meeting with the Jewish Defence League in Newmarket, Ontario. Titled "House of Worship or House of Terror," the meeting was in opposition to the planned construction of a mosque in the town due to its alleged association with a controversial imam, Zafar Bangash. [Freed, Dale Anne, "Newmarket mosque meeting 'one-sided'; Executive member says leadership not invited to meeting, adding they don't share controversial imam's views," "Toronto Star", February 26, 2007]

The Hindu Conference of Canada's spokesperson is Ron Banerjee. [Banerjee, Ron, [http://www.cbc.ca/news/background/religion/life-hindu2.html "Seeing beyond 'cows and caste'"] , "CBC News", accessed February 9, 2008]

Ron Bannerjee is not representative or indicative of Hindu sentiment in Canada but a likely front for the VHP-America and other fascist elements active in the United States and the United Kingdom; funders of the Sangh Parivar to prey upon uninformed Indians abroad. The pages of the HCC's websites addressing India's history and non-Hindu communities indicate a good deal. The HCC needs to come clean on its attachment to fascism, explain the links between the RSS and NRIs, support for political elements tending to admire the example of Hitler, in South Asia.

References

External links

* [http://www.hccanada.com/ Hindu Conference of Canada website]
* [http://youtube.com/watch?v=SL3t3Iz3keg youtube interview]