RSS globalised: Inside the Hindu nationalist paramilitary leader's carefully staged NYC celebration of ‘universal oneness’

RSS globalised: Inside the Hindu nationalist paramilitary leader's carefully staged NYC celebration of ‘universal oneness’ Submitted by Shraddha Joshi on Tue, 09/01/2026 - 04:36 Critics say the fascist group has covertly pushed Hindutva propaganda while masquerading as a cultural organisation using the language of spirituality Mohan Bhagwat on the Infosys Theatre stage, in front of a projection of a video showing him delivering a speech next to the image of Hindutva ideologue VD Savarkar (Shraddha Joshi/MEE) Off Madison Square Garden, the legendary artistic centre of New York City and a global stage for major sports and entertainment for more than 140 years, is widely regarded as the world’s most famous arena. On Saturday afternoon, however, the event space was home to an audience that did not quite resemble Harry Styles concert-goers or Knicks fans. Crowds of Indian and Hindu Americans of all ages, clad in bright saffron caps, kurtas, and saris, arrived from across the country to see Mohan Bhagwat, the chief of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), a Hindu nationalist paramilitary group, whose affiliate organisations are driving violence against minorities in India.