NYC: Mamdani opposes rally with Hindu nationalist leader
NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani voiced opposition to an upcoming event featuring RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat, calling the Hindu nationalist group's ideology "exclusionary" while acknowledging the city can't block a private event.
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani has expressed his opposition to a rally featuring Mohan Bhagwat, the chief of the Hindu nationalist group Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). The planned event, dubbed the Universal Oneness Celebration, is scheduled to take place on Saturday at Madison Square Garden and is expected to draw 5,000 attendees.
Mamdani, the city's first Muslim and Indian American mayor, stated he does not support the rally, but acknowledged the city may not have the jurisdiction to cancel the private event. He emphasized his commitment to a pluralistic society where every person, regardless of their background, feels welcome. Critics, including interfaith and civil rights groups, have denounced the event, citing Bhagwat's association with an extremist movement that has been linked to violence and exclusion.
The RSS, which Bhagwat leads, is the ideological parent of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and has faced criticism from UN bodies and human rights groups for fostering a rise in abuses against India's religious minorities.
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