The visit of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat to the United States has triggered protests and controversy, with demonstrators in New York and other cities questioning the organization’s political influence and record on religious and minority issues.
Bhagwat was the keynote speaker at the “Universal Oneness Celebration” held at New York’s Madison Square Garden. The event was organized by American Hindus for Engagement and Dialogue as part of programs marking the RSS’s centenary.
Outside the venue, however, hundreds of activists and representatives from Muslim, Sikh, Christian and Dalit communities, along with human-rights organizations, gathered in protest. Demonstrators accused the RSS of promoting extremist and Hindutva-related violence and called for greater scrutiny of Bhagwat’s visit.
Calls for action against RSS leadership
The protests have also extended beyond New York. Demonstrations and rallies have reportedly been organized in Washington and other parts of the United States, with activists demanding that Bhagwat’s visit be reconsidered.
Opposition groups have cited longstanding allegations concerning the RSS and its affiliates, particularly in relation to religious minorities in India. They have also referred to previous U.S. government assessments involving organizations associated with the RSS.
The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom has reportedly urged Washington to consider measures against RSS leaders over alleged abuses involving religious minorities in India. Civil-society organizations, including the Council on American-Islamic Relations, have likewise expressed opposition to Bhagwat’s visit.
Political criticism in New York
The controversy has also entered New York’s political debate.
Brad Lander, a Democratic candidate for New York City comptroller, criticized the decision to host the RSS leader. He argued that an organization accused of spreading hostility toward minority communities in India should not be given a platform to promote such views in New York.
Protesters gathered near City Hall and outside the event venue, arguing that the RSS’s ideology is incompatible with India’s pluralistic traditions. They accused the organization of seeking to reshape India as a predominantly Hindu state at the expense of religious minorities.
Bhagwat’s U.S. trip is part of a wider international tour marking the RSS’s 100th anniversary, with stops also planned in Canada and the United Kingdom.
The protests have therefore turned what was intended as a centenary-related international outreach effort into a broader debate over the RSS’s ideology, its role in Indian politics and allegations concerning minority rights.
