Hundreds protest Hindu nationalist paramilitary leader Mohan Bhagwat's visit to New York

Hundreds protest Hindu nationalist paramilitary leader Mohan Bhagwat's visit to New York Submitted by Shraddha Joshi on Sun, 08/30/2026 - 13:28 Up to 5,000 people were present at a Madison Square Garden event honouring the chief of the RSS, described by critics as the 'world's largest fascist organisation' Protesters chant and rally against Mohan Bhagwat's arrival at Madison Square Garden (Instagram/@646onrecord) Off Activists rallied outside of Madison Square Garden in New York in protest of an event featuring Mohan Bhagwat, the chief of India's Hindu nationalist paramilitary organisation, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). The “Universal Oneness” event, organised by American Hindus for Engagement and Dialogue, brought some 5,000 attendees from over 200 Hindu and Indian partner organisations across the country to receive the RSS leader in New York. Saturday’s protest was organised by a range of local New York and national organisations, including South Asian Left (SALAM), Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC), Hindus for Human Rights (HfHR) and Anti Imperialist South Asian Alliance Philadelphia (AISA Philly).