US Panel and Critics Oppose RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat’s New York Event Amid Backlash Over Hindu Supremacy Ties
Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat is scheduled to deliver the keynote address at a New York gathering titled the “Universal Oneness Celebration” on Saturday, drawing opposition from human rights groups, activists, and local political figures over the organization’s Hindu nationalist ideology. The event, set to take place at Madison Square Garden between 2:00 pm and 3:30 pm local time, is expected to attract more than 5,000 attendees, including multifaith leaders, according to reporting by Al Jazeera and other outlets.
Organizers and Secrecy Surrounding the New York Event
The principal organizer behind Saturday’s gathering is a US-based non-profit organization named the American Hindus for Engagement and Dialogue (AHEAD) Forum, according to registration documents cited by Al Jazeera. While the group states on its website that it aims to promote intercultural understanding and advertises the event around the Sanskrit phrase Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam—meaning “the world is one family”—its online platform lacks details regarding its leadership. Apoorvanand, a Hindi professor at the University of Delhi, told Al Jazeera that the advertisements promoting unity actually refer specifically to “Hindu unity against Muslims and Christians.”
Political Opposition and Human Rights Concerns
The gathering has drawn sharp criticism from local officials and advocacy organizations. Zohran Mamdani stated on Tuesday that he does not support the upcoming event, characterizing the ideology of the RSS as “exclusionary,” according to Al Jazeera. Meanwhile, human rights groups in the United States, including Hindus for Human Rights, released a statement asserting that “Mohan Bhagwat does not represent Hindus.” A US panel on religious freedom has also opposed the visit, calling for visa revocations and sanctions.
Ideological Background of the RSS
Founded in 1925 in Nagpur by Keshav Baliram Hedgewar, the RSS operates a vast network of schools, publications, and hospitals to promote Hindutva, a Hindu nationalist philosophy that seeks to transition India from a constitutionally secular state into a Hindu one. The organization serves as the ideological parent of India’s governing Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and leads a network of over 2,500 right-wing groups known as the Sangh Parivar. The RSS has faced bans in India historically, including a prohibition in 1948 following the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi by a former member, as reported by Al Jazeera.