US religious freedom panel urges visa revocation for RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat

The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) has formally requested the U.S. government to revoke the visa of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat. Bhagwat is scheduled to speak at an event in New York City.

In addition to the visa revocation, the panel urged the U.S. government to consider imposing targeted sanctions. These sanctions would be directed at RSS members and Indian officials deemed "complicit in religious freedom violations." The USCIRF statement highlighted a continuing decline in religious freedom conditions within India.

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Religious freedom conditions in India continue to deteriorate as violence and incitement are frequently used to target religious minority communities.

The commission specifically pointed to the prevalence of violence and incitement targeting religious minority communities. "Religious freedom conditions in India continue to deteriorate as violence and incitement are frequently used to target religious minority communities," stated USCIRF Chair Dr. Asif Mahmood. He further urged the U.S. government to make Bhagwat ineligible for future entry into the United States.

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We urge the U.S. government to consider targeted sanctions against RSS members and Indian officials complicit in religious freedom violations, including revoking the visa issued to Mohan Bhagwat and making him ineligible for future entry into the United States.