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After US backlash, UK MP defends RSS chief's London visit: ‘Pleased to listen to his thoughts and ideas’
Mohan Bhagwat's UK visit follows stops in the US and Canada as part of the RSS’s global outreach programme marking its centenary.
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Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat arrived in London on Thursday for the final leg of his three-nation tour. His UK visit follows stops in the US and Canada as part of the RSS’s global outreach programme marking its centenary. Bhagwat is expected to address a large gathering of the Indian diaspora in Britain over the weekend.
Conservative British MP Bob Blackman said he was pleased to hear the RSS chief’s views on the organisation’s future. "Pleased to listen to the thoughts & ideas for the future of @RSSorg by RSS Chief Dr Mohan Bhagwat this evening," Blackman said in a post on X.
This comes after Bhagwat faced backlash in the United States ahead of his August 29 event at Madison Square Garden in New York. The US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) had asked the US government to consider sanctions against RSS members and deny high-level meetings or diplomatic courtesies to Bhagwat during his US visit.
Over 100 British Hindu and community organisations welcomed Bhagwat’s arrival. Several groups issued a joint statement in support of his visit.
Hindu Council UK, Hindu Forum of Britain, Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh UK and INSIGHT UK were among the organisations that signed the statement.
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"RSS is the largest voluntary organisation in the world, dedicated towards character building, volunteering, leadership, social cohesion and promoting global fraternity," they said, as per PTI. “RSS is known for its extensive social work, promoting equality, education in remote and inaccessible areas and to be the 'first to respond' organisation in situations of natural disaster.”
"We welcome the efforts taken by RSS under the leadership of Dr Bhagwat in promoting five transformations as part of the RSS centenary commemoration, which are relevant to all our communities: social harmony and cohesion; importance of family as a unit within society; self-less service; environmental stewardship; and diligent performance of civic duties," they added.
US lawmakers said Bhagwat ‘not welcome’
US lawmakers Rashida Tlaib and Jim McGovern earlier criticised Bhagwat’s visit to New York and objected to the platform given to him. They alleged that the RSS promoted discrimination and violence against religious minorities in India.
Tlaib said Bhagwat and his “Hindu nationalist ideology” were “not welcome” in American communities, while McGovern said the RSS chief should face “accountability” rather than be given a platform.
UK minister responds to questions over Bhagwat's visit
Bhagwat’s arrival has also led questions in the UK Parliament. Some civil society organisations reportedly called on the British government to oppose the visit.
Last week, British Indian minister Nadia Whittome asked the UK Home Office whether it fully assessed Bhagwat’s visit under the government’s "commitment to block hate preachers and extremists from entering the UK", PTI reported.
UK security minister Dan Jarvis responded to the written parliamentary query on Thursday and said the home office could not comment on individual cases but remained committed to addressing security concerns.
He said the government was focused on the “full range of threats” and on "tackling anyone who spreads views that promote violence and hatred against individuals and communities".
"All individuals seeking entry to the UK must meet the requirements of the immigration rules," he said.
ALSO READ | ‘In America, behave true to America’: Mohan Bhagwat tells Indian diaspora to fulfil duty to ‘karma bhumi’
The response came after a section of civil society organisations, led by the South Asia Solidarity Group and Hindus for Human Rights UK, appealed to the British government to boycott Bhagwat’s visit.
Bhagwat's New York visit controversy
The RSS chief’s UK visit follows his appearance in New York last month, where he addressed around 5,000 members of Indian American organisations at the Infosys Theater inside Madison Square Garden.
The event, titled “Universal Oneness Celebration”, was organised by American Hindus for Engagement and Dialogue (AHEAD) as part of the RSS centenary-year outreach programme.
ALSO READ | ‘Unity in diversity is in India’s DNA': RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat in New York
Bhagwat’s visit drew attention after New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani criticised the RSS and described the rise of the movement as “incredibly troubling”, citing its “exclusionary vision”.
Speaking at a press conference ahead of the event, Mamdani said he opposed the rally but said that the city government likely did not have jurisdiction to cancel a private event.
At a “One World One Humanity” event before his Madison Square Garden address, Bhagwat said that if any Hindu believed there should be no Muslim in Bharat, “he will not remain Hindu”. "If you call yourself Hindu, you must believe all paths are leading to the same goal," he said.
In his New York address, Bhagwat said differences among people were natural but that unity remained fundamental. He described diversity as the "decoration of oneness".
He also asked people to "make others live, not merely let live", saying human beings had a responsibility to sustain others, nature and the wider world rather than focus only on their own wellbeing.
Addressing the Indian diaspora, Bhagwat said their primary duty was towards their karma bhumi, the country where they live and work. He also said Bharat expected its diaspora to uphold and live by the values it imparted to them.
