RSS chief’s visit to US denounced as ‘goodwill tour’ for Hindu nationalism

What the report says

Activists, advocacy groups and some faith organizations are criticizing a New York City event set for Saturday at Madison Square Garden that features Mohan Bhagwat, the leader of India’s Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). The gathering, called the Universal Oneness Celebration and organized by American Hindus for Engagement and Dialogue, is being presented as a message of peace, unity and cultural inclusion. But opponents say it is meant to improve the image of Hindu nationalism and distract from allegations that the RSS and related movements have encouraged discrimination and violence against minorities in India.

Al Jazeera reports that critics from Muslim, Sikh, Christian and caste-justice organizations plan protests outside the venue. They argue that the RSS, which is widely seen as the ideological parent of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party, has long promoted exclusionary politics. Some also say Hindu nationalist groups have expanded outreach in the United States by appealing to diaspora identity, Hindu culture and concerns about anti-Hindu bias.

The article says the backlash has reached official circles as well. The US Commission on International Religious Freedom called for Bhagwat’s visa to be revoked and urged targeted sanctions, while New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani said he opposed the movement’s exclusionary message, though he questioned whether the city could stop a private event.

The dispute highlights wider tensions inside the Indian diaspora over nationalism, religious freedom and political influence abroad. Opponents frame the rally as a public-relations effort; supporters present it as a celebration of harmony and shared heritage.