Amid Mamdani Opposition, X Suspends Account of Organizers for RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat’s New York Event; Reinstatement Sought
This came after New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani stated he does not support the RSS or the gathering scheduled for Madison Square Garden on August 29 but does not believe the city has jurisdiction to cancel it. Mohan Bhagwat is currently in the US for his outreach tour covering the US, Canada & the UK.
- World News
- 3 min read
Social media platform X has suspended the account of the American Hindus for Engagement and Dialogue (AHEAD), the group organizing a high-profile New York City event headlined by Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat.
The suspension came after New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani stated he does not support the RSS or the gathering but does not believe the city has jurisdiction to cancel it. The “Universal Oneness Celebration” is scheduled for Madison Square Garden on August 29.
Bhagwat is currently in the United States as part of a three-country outreach tour covering the US, Canada and the UK, timed with the RSS centenary year.
AHEAD, a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit and one of more than 200 supporters of the multicultural and interfaith event, has appealed to X for the reinstatement of its suspended handle, @Aheadforum1. The organization said the celebration promotes peace, social harmony, mutual understanding and respect across faiths and communities. Its posts have highlighted participation by diverse community and faith leaders. AHEAD maintains the suspension may have occurred in error, stating its communications have consistently advanced “universal peace, oneness, harmony, and constructive interfaith and intercultural dialogue” in line with X’s policies.
Ahead of the event, which will mark Raksha Bandhan with a modern message of unity, civic duty and global harmony, the Hindu American Foundation (HAF) issued a community advisory. The Washington, DC-based group urged attendees to remain vigilant, situationally aware and civil. It also called on Mayor Mamdani to uphold his duty to protect all New Yorkers and ensure the event’s safety amid attempts by activists to disrupt it.
The gathering has drawn broader controversy. The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), chaired by Asif Mahmood, released a statement alleging deteriorating religious freedom conditions in India and urging the US government to consider targeted sanctions against RSS members, including the possible revocation of Bhagwat’s visa. Vice Chair Cece Heil echoed the concerns. India’s Ministry of External Affairs strongly rejected the remarks, with spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal describing the body as biased and lacking credibility and advising that such institutions be ignored.
US singer and actress Mary Millben criticized opponents of the event, including the mayor, arguing the pushback stems from animosity toward Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Bharatiya Janata Party. She defended the choice of venue on capitalist principles and praised the event’s theme of “Oneness.”
Mayor Mamdani, the city’s first Indian-American mayor, has said he does not support the planned gathering. Citing his family’s ties to India, he expressed deep opposition to what he described as an exclusionary movement, while clarifying that municipal authorities lack the legal authority to prohibit a private event.
RSS Akhil Bharatiya Prachar Pramukh Sunil Ambekar described the programme as an interfaith forum for open dialogue and mutual respect that reflects an inclusive Bharatiya ethos.
Published By : Ankita Paul
Published On: 27 August 2026 at 19:38 IST