New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani has stated that he does not support an upcoming event in Manhattan featuring RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat.
Mamdani, who is the first Muslim and Indian American mayor of New York City, said, "I don't support the rally, but I don't know if the city has any jurisdiction on cancelling a private event." He added, "The vision of India that I was taught by my family and 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. And it has been incredibly troubling to see the rise of a movement that is predicated on an exclusionary vision."
The event's website describes the gathering as the "Universal Oneness Celebration" for the Hindu American community, aiming to promote shared heritage and interfaith unity. However, organizers have faced criticism due to Bhagwat's attendance and the RSS's history.
The RSS stated in May that it had organized foreign visits, including to the U.S., to counter perceptions that it is a paramilitary outfit involved in attacks on minority communities.
