RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat to speak at New York event

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Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat was scheduled to headline a "Universal Oneness Celebration" at Madison Square Garden in New York. The event, organized by the American Hindus for Engagement and Dialogue (AHEAD) Forum, expected an attendance of more than 5,000 people. While organizers stated the event aimed to promote intercultural understanding, it faced opposition from activists, human rights groups, and politicians, including New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, who criticized the RSS’s ideology as exclusionary.

Consequences

The event drew public protest and criticism from human rights organizations who asserted that the RSS does not represent the broader Hindu community. The gathering highlighted internal friction regarding the influence of the RSS—the ideological parent of India's governing Bharatiya Janata Party—within the United States.

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