E-Paper
'We are back up': X account of RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat's New York City event organisers restored
AHEAD Forum put out a post on X after the account was restored, saying they were “back up” after being “botted” by some “misguided opponents”
Prefer HTon Google
The X account of American Hindus for Engagement and Dialogue (AHEAD) forum, the organisers of an event in New York City set to feature Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat, was restored after being briefly suspended on Thursday.
The organisers put out a post on X after the account was restored, saying they were “back up” after being “botted” by some “misguided opponents” who got the handle blocked. The group also thanked X Support for restoring the account quickly.
"We are back up! We got “botted” by misguided opponents who tried to game the X algorithm and get our handle blocked. A big thank you to @X @Support for the prompt response, restoring our account and clearing out the bots. Now, back to what really matters: celebrating Universal Harmony and Universal Oneness @Uni1ness', posted AHEAD Forum on X.
Also Read | 'In deep opposition to, but...': Zohran Mamdani on RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat’s upcoming rally in New York
The X account was briefly ‘unavailable’ to users and the AHEAD forum reportedly attributed the suspension to an error.
The development comes two days after New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani said he did not support the RSS or the event, but maintained that the city had no jurisdiction to cancel it.
The rally is scheduled to be held at Madison Square Garden on August 29.
What did Mamdani say on RSS and Bhagwat's visit?
Mamdani said it was “incredibly troubling” to witness the rise of a movement in India that was based on what he described as an “exclusionary vision”.
Speaking at a press conference on Tuesday, Mamdani reiterated his opposition to the rally but said the city's government likely did not have the jurisdiction to cancel a private event.
“I also stand here as the first Indian American mayor in our city's history. My mother's family is all still in India. The vision of India that I was taught by my family and the one that I grew up being very familiar with was of a pluralistic society, of a secular republic, that believed in the belonging of each and every person who was from India."
USCIRF calls for sanction against RSS
Members of the US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) also urged the US government not to extend diplomatic courtesies to Bhagwat and called for sanctions against the RSS.
The USCIRF also raised concerns over Bhagwat's visit and alleged that RSS subgroups have “perpetrated violent attacks against religious minorities”, according to a PTI report.
After USCIRF's criticism of RSS, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) issued a statement calling the body biased and accusing it of having a history of making inflammatory remarks about India.
Deep Dive
