NYC Mayor Mamdani Opposes RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat’s Manhattan Event

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani said Tuesday that he does not support an upcoming Manhattan event featuring Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat, citing concerns about the Hindu nationalist organization’s vision for India.

Bhagwat is scheduled to speak Saturday, August 29, at the "Universal Oneness Celebration," an event organized by American Hindus for Engagement and Dialogue. Organizers say the gathering will bring together Hindu Americans while promoting shared cultural heritage and interfaith unity.

Mamdani said he opposed the event but questioned whether New York City has the legal authority to cancel a privately organized gathering.

The mayor, the first Muslim and Indian American to hold the office, said the India he grew up learning about was a secular and pluralistic republic where people of different backgrounds belonged. He described the rise of what he views as an exclusionary political movement as deeply concerning.

Several local organizations have criticized Bhagwat’s scheduled appearance because of the RSS’ history and its influence on Indian politics. The RSS is widely regarded as the ideological parent of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom has accused the RSS of a decades-long record of violence and intolerance toward minority communities. The organization rejects such allegations, describing itself as a Hindu-centered cultural and civilizational movement focused on national unity and strengthening Hindu society.

Human rights groups and United Nations experts have also raised concerns about the treatment of minorities in India, citing hate speech, citizenship policies, demolitions of Muslim-owned properties, Kashmir’s loss of autonomy and anti-conversion laws.

India’s BJP-led government denies allegations of religious discrimination. It argues that government programs, including food subsidies and nationwide electrification initiatives, are designed to benefit Indians regardless of religion.

The controversy surrounding Bhagwat’s New York appearance highlights continuing tensions over the RSS, Hindu nationalism and India’s religious-minority policies as the organization expands its engagement with overseas communities.