The Hindu American Foundation (HAF) on Thursday issued a security advisory ahead of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat’s ‘Universal Oneness Celebration’ at Madison Square Garden, urging New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani to “uphold his sworn duty” to protect all New Yorkers, including event attendees.
The advisory for the August 29 event was issued by the American non-profit advocacy and educational organisation, founded in September 2003 and based in Washington, DC, which asked the community to “stay vigilant."
HAF issues advisory ahead of event
In a post on X, HAF said, “COMMUNITY ADVISORY ALERT! HAF is issuing this security alert in advance of the Universal Oneness Celebration at Madison Square Garden in New York City. Stay vigilant, remain situationally aware, and keep interactions civil. Ahead of the event, activists targeting Hindu Americans have attempted to disrupt and cancel the celebration. We urge @NYCMayor Zohran Mamdani to uphold his sworn duty to protect all New Yorkers, including event attendees, and guarantee everyone's safety and civil rights.”
Deep Dive
What is the purpose of Mohan Bhagwat's event at Madison Square Garden?
Why did NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani oppose the RSS event?
How has the community been advised to respond to potential disruptions during the event?
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{{/usCountry}}Also read | 'Open dialogue': RSS defends Mohan Bhagwat's NYC event after mayor Zohran Mamdani's opposition
{{/usCountry}}USCIRF calls for action against RSS
The development comes amid criticism from the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), which on Wednesday alleged that religious freedom conditions in India were deteriorating and called on the US government to consider sanctions against RSS members and Indian officials.
Chaired by Pakistani-American Asif Mahmood, the body said, "Religious freedom conditions in India continue to deteriorate as violence and incitement are frequently used to target religious minority communities. We urge the U.S. government to consider targeted sanctions against RSS members and Indian officials complicit in religious freedom violations, including revoking the visa issued to Mohan Bhagwat and making him ineligible for future entry into the United States."
Also read | 'In deep opposition to, but...': Zohran Mamdani on RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat’s upcoming rally in New York
USCIRF Vice Chair Cece Heil said, "The U.S. government has an opportunity to hold India accountable and signal that the United States stands for religious freedom for the people of India."
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) had strongly condemned USCIRF's call during an August 21 briefing, dismissing the body as biased and lacking credibility.
MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said, “We all know this is a biased institution. For years, it has made incorrect and provocative statements about India. We should ignore such institutions, as they have their own agendas and lack credibility.”
Mamdani opposes planned gathering
Mamdani said at a news conference on Tuesday that he did not support the planned Madison Square Garden event featuring Bhagwat. However, he said municipal authorities may not have the legal authority to cancel the private gathering scheduled for August 29.
Asked whether the city should move to cancel the event, Mamdani said, "I don't support the rally, but I don't know if the city has any jurisdiction on cancelling a private event."
He also said, "I also stand here as the first Indian-American Mayor in our city's history, and my mother's family is all still in India."
Reflecting on his upbringing, Mamdani said his family's understanding of India was that of "a pluralistic society, of a secular republic that believed in the belonging of each and every person who was from India".
He added, "And it has been incredibly troubling to see the rise of a movement that is predicated on an exclusionary vision of any country, frankly, and so it is one that I find myself in deep opposition to, not only as an Indian-American but also as the Mayor of a city that believes deeply in the belonging of each and every person, no matter their colour, their creed, their religion, their faith, wherever they're from."
Bhagwat in New York for global outreach
Bhagwat arrived in New York on Tuesday for the first leg of his three-nation global outreach tour covering the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom. The tour has been organised at the invitation of overseas local groups as part of the RSS's centenary year celebrations.
Organised by the American Hindus for Engagement and Dialogue (AHEAD) forum, Bhagwat's address at Madison Square Garden on Saturday will mark the traditional observance of the Hindu festival Raksha Bandhan.