The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom has once again provoked controversy ahead of RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat’s scheduled address at Madison Square Garden in New York.

On Wednesday, the body chaired by Pakistani-American Asif Mahmood alleged that religious freedom in India was deteriorating and urged the United States government to consider sanctions against the RSS.

The commission claimed that violence and incitement were being used to target minority communities in India. It called for targeted sanctions against RSS members and Indian officials allegedly complicit in violations, including revoking Bhagwat’s visa and making him ineligible for future entry into the United States. Vice Chair Cece Heil stated that Washington had an opportunity to hold India accountable and demonstrate its commitment to religious freedom.

The Ministry of External Affairs had already condemned similar remarks on August 21. MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal described the commission as biased and lacking credibility, stressing that its repeated provocative statements about India should be ignored. He emphasised that such institutions operate with their own agendas and therefore cannot be taken seriously.

Meanwhile, RSS Akhil Bharatiya Prachar Pramukh Sunil Ambekar highlighted that the Madison Square Garden event, titled the ‘Universal Oneness Celebration’, would be an interfaith gathering.

He explained that Bhagwat would interact with a diverse, multicultural and multi-faith audience, reflecting the inclusive nature of the Bharatiya ethos. Ambekar underlined that the program was organised in the spirit of open dialogue and mutual respect.

He further noted that the initiative was part of the RSS’s longstanding engagement with communities in India and abroad to promote understanding and shared purpose. In a post on X, Ambekar reiterated that the event exemplifies inclusivity and openness, with Bhagwat communicating with audiences across faiths and cultures.

The timing of the USCIRF statement, coinciding with Bhagwat’s high-profile overseas engagement, has been viewed in New Delhi as deliberate and provocative. The MEA continues to maintain that attempts to malign Indian organisations such as the RSS are politically motivated and lack legitimacy.

ANI