'Open dialogue': RSS defends Mohan Bhagwat's NYC event after mayor Zohran Mamdani's opposition

The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) defended an upcoming event in New York featuring its chief Mohan Bhagwat. The event, titled 'Universal Oneness Celebration,' will take place at Madison Square Garden on August 29. RSS spokesperson Sunil Ambekar stated the event would be "in the spirit of open dialogue and mutual respect" and reflect "Bhartiya ethos."

This perspective comes after New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani expressed his opposition to the event on Wednesday, stating he found the RSS's ideology "troubling" and in "deep opposition" to it. Mamdani's stance drew mixed reactions in India, with some praising the RSS for engaging with Hindu Americans, while others criticized the event. Bhagwat is currently in the US for a three-country tour of the US, Canada, and the UK.