US body opposes Mohan Bhagwat’s visit this month, seeks sanctions on RSS members over religious freedom

The US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) has publicly opposed RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat's upcoming visit to the United States later this month in New York. In a statement on X, USCIRF members urged the US government to consider imposing sanctions on RSS members responsible for violating religious freedoms. Asif Mahmood, the chair of USCIRF, noted that the Indian Prime Minister Modi is a member of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), an organization whose sub-groups have been involved in attacks on religious minorities.

USCIRF member Gene Mills emphasized that RSS leaders, even when associated with the Indian government, should not receive high-level meetings or diplomatic courtesies, and instead, the US government should focus on imposing sanctions on offending RSS members.