On Friday, New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani celebrated Raksha Bandhan, a traditionally Hindu festival that honors the bond between brothers and sisters, by visiting India Home, a community center for South Asian seniors. The next day in New York, a leader of a far-right, Nazi-inspired Hindu nationalist paramilitary organization delivered remarks at Madison Square Garden.
Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat spoke Saturday at a rally in New York City, called the “Universal Oneness Celebration,” an event ostensibly about shared humanity and mutual respect. “If any Hindu thinks that there should be no Muslim in Bharat, he will not remain Hindu,” a moderate-sounding Bhagwat said (“Bharat” is another name for India). “If you call yourself Hindu, you must believe all paths are leading to the same goal.”
However, in the past, Bhagwat has attracted controversy by declaring “everyone born in” India to be a Hindu, “even Muslims”; suggesting gang rape in India is a Western import; and accusing Muslim men of carrying out “love jihad” by courting Hindu women.
Hence, the RSS rally at Madison Square Garden on Saturday attracted large protests outside. While several organizations tried and failed to stop the rally from taking place, in protest of Bhagwat’s controversial political movement, the opposition continues.
Nearly 100 political officials across the United States – from Michigan Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed and his former opponent Haley Stevens, to top Indian-American Reps. Ro Khanna and Pramila Jayapal – have now pledged to reject money from the RSS.