Archive · 29 Aug 2026
Hindu groups protest RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat's New York event
Mohan Bhagwat, the leader of the RSS, is scheduled to appear at an event in New York.
The event is called the Universal Oneness Celebration.
It is being held at Madison Square Garden.
Some Hindu, interfaith, and civil rights groups are protesting it.
They say the RSS and its Hindutva ideology do not speak for them.
Sixty-one organisations signed an open letter against the event.
Mayor Zohran Mamdani said he was very worried about what he described as an exclusionary movement.
However, he said New York City probably does not have the legal power to cancel a privately organised event.
An event featuring RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat at Madison Square Garden has drawn opposition in New York.
Hindus for Human Rights said an open letter opposing the event was signed by 61 interfaith and secular organisations.
Protesters said the RSS and its Hindutva ideology do not represent them.
A coalition including Hindus for Human Rights, the Indian American Muslim Council, and the Interfaith Center of New York urged cancellation.
Mayor Zohran Mamdani called the event troubling but acknowledged the city likely could not legally block it.
- Who
- RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat, Mayor Zohran Mamdani, and Hindu, interfaith, and civil rights organisations.
- What
- A Universal Oneness Celebration featuring Bhagwat has prompted protests and calls for cancellation.
- When
- The event is scheduled for Saturday, August 29; related demonstrations and advisories were issued earlier that week.
- Where
- Madison Square Garden and New York City Hall in New York.
- Why
- Opponents object to the RSS and what they describe as the exclusionary character of Hindutva ideology, while supporters and the Hindu American Foundation have focused on attendees' safety and civil rights.
Event opponents
Event supporters and officials
Representation and ideology
Event opponents
Hindus for Human Rights and allied organisations say the RSS and its Hindutva ideology do not represent them and have urged cancellation of the event.
Event supporters and officials
The Hindu American Foundation treats the gathering as a community event and says activists have tried to disrupt or cancel it.
Public safety and legal authority
Event opponents
Mayor Zohran Mamdani has opposed the gathering, describing the growth of what he called an exclusionary movement as incredibly troubling.
Event supporters and officials
The Hindu American Foundation called for the safety and civil rights of all attendees, while Mamdani acknowledged that New York City likely lacked the legal authority to stop a privately organised event.
- Event
- Universal Oneness Celebration
- Featured speaker
- RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat
- Venue
- Madison Square Garden
- Opposition letter
- Signed by 61 interfaith and secular organisations
- Named protesting organisations
- Hindus for Human Rights, the Indian American Muslim Council, and the Interfaith Center of New York
- Mayor's position
- Zohran Mamdani called the event incredibly troubling but said the city likely lacked authority to block it
- Safety advisory
- The Hindu American Foundation urged vigilance, civil interactions, and protection of attendees' safety and civil rights