DistantNews
Support us
🇮🇳 India /Elections & Politics

‘Not welcome’: Mohan Bhagwat’s New York visit draws criticism from US Democrats

From Hindustan Times · () English

Translated from English and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

News Named sources Context piece
  • Democratic lawmakers Rashida Tlaib and Jim McGovern criticised RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat’s appearance at a New York event.
  • Tlaib called Bhagwat’s Hindu nationalist ideology unwelcome, while McGovern said he should face accountability over the RSS’s alleged role in violence and discrimination.
  • Bhagwat addressed more than 5,000 people at Madison Square Garden, speaking about unity, diversity and the Hindu concept of Dharma.

Mohan Bhagwat’s appearance before more than 5,000 people at Madison Square Garden drew a sharp rebuke from two US Democratic lawmakers. Rashida Tlaib said the RSS chief and his “hateful Hindu nationalist ideology are not welcome in our communities.”

Mohan Bhagwat and his hateful Hindu nationalist ideology are not welcome in our communities. His paramilitary organization the RSS is responsible for violent attacks and pogroms against Muslims, Sikhs, Dalits, Christians, and more.

— Rashida TlaibThe Democratic congresswoman criticised Bhagwat’s New York appearance in a post on X.

Tlaib criticised Bhagwat after his address at the Universal Oneness Celebration, organised by the American Hindus for Engagement and Dialogue forum. She accused the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh of responsibility for “violent attacks and pogroms against Muslims, Sikhs, Dalits, Christians, and more,” and added: “We must reject all forms of hate and supremacy.”

We must reject all forms of hate and supremacy.

— Rashida TlaibTlaib added the statement in her criticism of Bhagwat and the RSS.

Jim McGovern also objected to the event platform given to Bhagwat. Citing former US Commission on International Religious Freedom chairs Stephen Schneck and Nadine Maenza, he said the RSS had helped make “discrimination & violence against religious minorities mainstream in India”. McGovern said Bhagwat should face “accountability” rather than be given a platform to foment hatred. His post misspelled Bhagwat’s surname.

Its chief, Mohan Baghwat, should face accountability, not be given a platform to foment hatred.

— Jim McGovernMcGovern criticised the event and the platform given to the RSS chief.

Bhagwat’s speech focused on unity, diversity and human interconnectedness. He said pluralism is often associated with America, while India is associated with unity in diversity, adding that both ideas are part of India’s identity. He also described Dharma as a sustaining principle rather than simply religion or worship.

Dharma is not religion. It is not worship. It is beyond all this.

— Mohan BhagwatBhagwat explained his interpretation of Dharma during his New York address.
About this summary

Originally published by Hindustan Times in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

More Stories

From Our Blog