A scheduled event at Madison Square Garden in New York City, promoted as a message that “the world is one family,” has triggered significant opposition from a diverse coalition of faith groups and advocacy organizations. The Universal Oneness Celebration, organized by the nonprofit American Hindus for Engagement and Dialogue, claims its mission is to foster “greater peace and harmony.” However, the inclusion of Mohan Bhagwat, leader of the Hindu paramilitary group Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), as a keynote speaker has sparked intense criticism.
Opponents argue the event is a calculated effort to sanitize the reputation of the RSS, an organization frequently accused of promoting discriminatory policies and inciting violence against religious minorities in India, including Muslims, Christians, and Sikhs. Protests are expected to take place outside the venue to challenge the platform given to Bhagwat.
Safa Ahmed, a community organizer from North Carolina, traveled to New York to join the demonstrations. She described the movement as one that has “normalised mob violence against Muslims, attacks on Muslim men in relationships with Hindu women and the bulldozing of Muslim homes.” Ahmed expressed skepticism regarding the organizers’ rhetoric, stating that their calls for unity are in stark contrast to the realities faced by minorities in India.
The rally is viewed by many as part of a broader strategy by Hindu nationalist groups to expand their influence among the approximately 2.5 million Hindus residing in the United States. Sravya Tadepalli, deputy executive director of Hindus for Human Rights, characterized the event as a “goodwill tour” intended to rehabilitate the image of the RSS. She described the group as a fascist paramilitary organization with a long history of communal violence.
The RSS is widely recognized as the ideological foundation of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which has governed India since 2014. The BJP has consistently pursued a political agenda centered on Hindu nationalism. During the 2024 National Conservatism Conference in Washington, DC, BJP Vice President Ram Madhav encouraged Western conservatives to view India as a model for defeating “left, liberal, Marxist, radical Islamist” influences.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who began his political career as an RSS cadre, has frequently engaged with the Indian diaspora in the US to promote this vision. His 2019 “Howdy, Modi!” rally in Texas drew 50,000 attendees and featured an appearance by then-President Donald Trump. These high-profile events remain contentious, particularly given that Modi was previously banned from entering the United States before his 2014 election due to his role during the 2002 Gujarat riots, where he faced accusations of failing to protect Muslim residents.
Despite his popularity in India, where he remains a top political figure, outreach efforts to improve the RSS’s international image have seen mixed results. A 2024 survey indicated that while many Indian Americans support Modi’s performance, 70 percent of respondents acknowledged that his rhetoric poses a growing threat to minority communities.
Official pushback against Bhagwat’s visit has been notable. The US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) issued a statement on Wednesday calling for the revocation of his visa. USCIRF Chair Asif Mahmood warned that Bhagwat is “complicit in religious freedom violations” and urged the federal government to implement targeted sanctions, citing the deteriorating conditions for religious minorities in India.
New York City official Zohran Mamdani also publicly criticized the event’s messaging. While expressing deep opposition to the ideology represented by the RSS, Mamdani noted that he doubted the city possessed the legal jurisdiction to cancel a private event at Madison Square Garden.
Ahmed emphasized that the backlash reflects an emerging, diverse coalition within the Indian diaspora that rejects the politics of the RSS and the BJP. She expressed confidence that the protest would serve as a clear rejection of Bhagwat’s presence, highlighting that a growing number of Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs, and unprivileged-caste individuals are uniting against the spread of this nationalist agenda in the United States. The report also notes that advocacy organisations and unprivileged-caste organisations say they are not convinced, but an array of faith groups. The report also notes that to do that, they have utilised a variety of appeals to soften the image of the RSS, such as celebrations of Hindu culture and campaigns to highlight anti-Hindu discrimination. The report also notes that “The organisations behind this have pitched it as a broad appeal to Hindu history with an emphasis on inclusivity when, in reality, the RSS advocates for the exact opposite.”. The report also notes that however, that Hindu nationalists have also sought to cultivate links with the global far-right, emphasising a shared belief in the purported threats posed by Islam and secular elites, critics have pointed out. The report also notes that like Bhagwat, he has also taken his message on the road, to speak to overseas supporters in the US.
Source: Al Jazeera
