RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat's New York Visit Sparks Protests and Political Backlash

The controversy around Mohan Bhagwat's visit to New York began in mid-August 2026, when news emerged that he would headline a major event at Madison Square Garden. Bhagwat leads the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), an Indian organization often described as Hindu nationalist.

Ahead of the event, the US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) recommended sanctions against the RSS. According to Scroll.in and Swarajya, the panel urged the US government to deny Bhagwat high-level meetings and diplomatic courtesies, and even considered a visa revocation due to concerns about religious freedom in India.

Local opposition soon followed. New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani publicly opposed the event, calling the RSS exclusionary and expressing concern about its ties to India's ruling BJP party, as reported by The Hindu and Al Jazeera. However, Mamdani acknowledged the city lacked authority to cancel the private gathering.

As the August 29 event approached, protests grew. Human rights and faith groups criticized the RSS for promoting Hindu nationalism and urged US authorities to bar Bhagwat's entry, according to Al Jazeera and Indian Express.

Despite calls for cancellation, the event went ahead as planned. On August 29, Madison Square Garden hosted more than 5,000 attendees, many from the Indian diaspora, while hundreds protested outside, Middle East Eye reported. Bhagwat's speech focused on unity in diversity, stating that true Hinduism does not support the exclusion of Muslims from India. He emphasized that "if any Hindu thinks there should be no Muslim in Bharat, he will not remain Hindu," as covered by Indian Express and [The Times of India](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/india-international-breaking-news-today-august-29/liveblog/133598753.cms).

The event also saw sharp criticism from US politicians. Rashida Tlaib and Jim McGovern publicly objected to Bhagwat's visit, calling him unwelcome due to his views on Hindu nationalism, Hindustan Times reported. Following the event, nearly 90 US politicians pledged to refuse RSS-linked funding, according to Scroll.in.

Bhagwat's message at Madison Square Garden was clear: he promoted unity and condemned exclusion, especially of Muslims, from Indian society. However, the controversy around the event did not subside. Protests continued, and the public stance of American politicians against the RSS became more pronounced.

The event has deepened the debate over the international influence of Hindu nationalist groups and the response of US political leaders to such visits.

With US lawmakers now openly rejecting RSS-linked funding, attention may turn to whether this signals a shift in US-India relations, especially on issues of religious freedom. It remains to be seen if similar protests or policy actions will follow future visits by leaders linked to the RSS or other controversial groups.