New York: New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani on Tuesday said he does not support the planned event at Madison Square Garden where RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat will address members of the Indian diaspora.
However, he said the city may not have jurisdiction to cancel the “private” event, which is scheduled for August 29.
Bhagwat arrived in the US earlier in the day as part of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh’s centenary-year global outreach programme. During his stay in New York, he would participate in the Universal Oneness programme and address a gathering of around 5,000 people at the iconic Madison Square Garden (MSG) on Saturday.
Mamdani cites his Indian heritage
Mamdani, New York City’s first Indian-American mayor, said his opposition was also informed by his family’s connection to India.
“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,” he said.
Mamdani said he was raised with a vision of India as “a pluralistic society” and “a secular republic” where everyone belongs regardless of their background.
He said he found the rise of what he described as an “exclusionary vision” deeply troubling.
“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 every person, no matter their colour, their creed, their religion, their faith, wherever they’re from,” Mamdani said.
Rights groups oppose Bhagwat event
Mamdani’s comments came as several interfaith and civil rights organisations gathered outside New York City Hall to protect Bhagwat’s scheduled appearance.
The groups included Hindus for Human Rights, the Indian American Muslim Council and the Interfaith Centre of New York. They called for Madison Square Garden to cancel the event.
The opposition comes amid criticism from groups that have accused the RSS of promoting an exclusionary vision of Indian nationalism.
Organisers defend ‘Universal Oneness’ event
The event’s organisers, AHEAD Forum, have described the gathering as the Universal Oneness Celebration and said it will promote unity and harmony.
“The world is one family,” the organisation said in a social media post announcing Bhagwat’s participation.
According to the organisers, the event is intended to encourage people to look beyond divisions, recognise common bonds and promote “mutual respect, harmony, and oneness.”
Bhagwat’s US visit
Bhagwat’s New York appearance is part of a wider international outreach programme marking the RSS’s centenary.
He is scheduled to travel across the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom during the tour.
The planned Madison Square Garden event has nevertheless emerged as a flashpoint, with supporters describing it as a celebration of unity while opponents are calling for the venue to cancel Bhagwat’s appearance.
