Mamdani opposes NYC event with leader of India's Hindu nationalist group
Interfaith and civil-rights groups say the RSS chief’s appearance normalizes exclusionary politics as more than 5,000 people are expected at the event, organizers said.
- On Saturday, August 29, 2026, RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat will address over 5,000 people at Madison Square Garden in New York during his global outreach tour.
- Founded in 1925, the RSS serves as the ideological fountainhead of Hindutva and the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party , with critics linking the organization to decades of violence against religious minorities.
- Activists gathered outside New York City Hall on Tuesday to denounce the visit, urging the venue to cancel the event and arguing New York should not provide a stage for religious nationalism.
- New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani stated Tuesday he opposes the rally, though he acknowledged the city lacks legal jurisdiction to cancel the private event scheduled for August 29.
- Scholars suggest the visit aims to bolster the RSS's legitimacy and influence, helping create content transmitted back to India as the organization cultivates support among the global Indian diaspora.
73 Articles
73 Articles
First He Went After the Jews… Now It’s the Hindus – Mamdani Opposes Indian Leader’s Manhattan Address
By: Jason Ostedder New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani has publicly declared his opposition to an imminent Manhattan gathering at which Mohan Bhagwat, supreme leader of India’s Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, is slated to deliver remarks, a pronouncement that has swiftly become a flashpoint in the ongoing conversation over religious identity, nationalist politics, and the boundaries of civic authority in America’s largest metropolis. The mayor’s com…
Hindu body reminds Mamdani to 'uphold sworn duty to protect' ahead of RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat's New York event
Mamdani has said he does not support the event but questioned whether the city has the legal authority to cancel a private gathering. Bhagwat, who arrived in New York on Tuesday, is on a three-nation outreach tour covering the US, Canada and UK as part of the RSS centenary celebrations.
Mamdani opposes RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat’s Madison Square Garden event
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani has publicly opposed an upcoming Madison Square Garden event featuring Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat, describing the movement’s vision as exclusionary while acknowledging that the city may not have the authority to cancel a privately organized gathering. “I don’t support the rally, but I don’t know if the city has any jurisdiction on cancelling a private event,” Mamdani said at a news co…
New York Mayor Mamdani opposes RSS event with Mohan Bhagwat in Manhattan
New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani opposes an upcoming RSS event with Mohan Bhagwat in Manhattan, citing concerns about the movement's exclusionary vision.Zohran Mamdani, Mohan Bhagwat, RSS event Manhattan, New York City Mayor, universal oneness celebration, Hindu American community, pluralistic society, secular Republic, exclusionary vision, American Hindus for Engagement and Dialogue, interfaith unity, criticism of RSS, minority communities, parami…
NYC: Mamdani opposes rally with Hindu nationalist leader
NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani voiced opposition to an upcoming event featuring RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat, calling the Hindu nationalist group's ideology "exclusionary" while acknowledging the city can't block a private event.
Coverage Details
Bias Distribution
- 43% of the sources lean Right
Factuality
To view factuality data please Upgrade to Premium
