Oneness or Hindu supremacy? RSS chief Bhagwat’s secretive New York hosts

What the report says

Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat is scheduled to speak in New York on Saturday at an event billed as the “Universal Oneness Celebration” at Madison Square Garden. According to Al Jazeera, the gathering is being organized by the U.S.-based nonprofit American Hindus for Engagement and Dialogue (AHEAD) Forum and is expected to draw more than 5,000 people, including multifaith leaders.

The reported aim of the event is to promote diversity, dialogue and the Hindu phrase Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam, often translated as “the world is one family.” But the article says the visit has triggered criticism from activists, politicians and human rights groups in New York and elsewhere, who argue that the RSS represents Hindu majoritarian politics rather than broad religious unity. New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani told local media he opposed the event and described the RSS ideology as exclusionary.

Al Jazeera’s report says the controversy also centers on AHEAD Forum itself. While the group presents itself as a bridge-building organization, the article says public records and registration documents examined by the publication point to ties between its organizers and the RSS and its overseas network. The piece notes that AHEAD was registered as a nonprofit in 2025 and filed for tax exemption later that year.

The article provides context on the RSS as a century-old Hindu nationalist organization and on Bhagwat’s role as its chief since 2009. It says supporters portray the New York event as interfaith outreach, while critics view it as an attempt to reframe Hindu nationalism for a Western audience.