Before RSS chairman Bhagwat’s presentation in New York City, a Hindu group reminds Mamdani of his “sworn duty” and sends an advisory.

Ahead of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat’s “Universal Oneness Celebration” at Madison Square Garden on Thursday, the Hindu American Foundation (HAF) released a security advisory, asking New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani to “uphold his sworn duty” to protect all New Yorkers, including event attendees. The American non-profit advocacy and educational organization, created in September 2003 and headquartered in Washington, DC, issued an advisory for the August 29 event, urging the community to “stay vigilant.”

In a post on X, HAF said, “COMMUNITY ADVISORY ALERT! HAF is issuing this security alert in advance of the Universal Oneness Celebration at Madison Square Garden in New York City. Stay vigilant, remain situationally aware, and keep interactions civil. Ahead of the event, activists targeting Hindu Americans have attempted to disrupt and cancel the celebration. We urge @NYCMayor Zohran Mamdani to uphold his sworn duty to protect all New Yorkers, including event attendees, and guarantee everyone’s safety and civil rights.”

The US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), which accused India of worsening religious freedom conditions on Wednesday and urged the US government to consider sanctions against RSS members and Indian officials, has criticised the development.

Chaired by Pakistani-American Asif Mahmood, the body said, “Religious freedom conditions in India continue to deteriorate as violence and incitement are frequently used to target religious minority communities. 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.”

USCIRF Vice Chair Cece Heil said, “The U.S. government has an opportunity to hold India accountable and signal that the United States stands for religious freedom for the people of India.” MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said, “We all know this is a biased institution. For years, it has made incorrect and provocative statements about India. We should ignore such institutions, as they have their own agendas and lack credibility.”

At a press conference on Tuesday, Mamdani declared that he was against Bhagwat’s scheduled Madison Square Garden engagement. However, he stated that the private event set for August 29 might not be legally cancelled by municipal authorities. When asked if the city ought to take action to call off the event, Mamdani responded, “I don’t support the rally, but I don’t know if the city has any jurisdiction on cancelling a private event.”

He also said, “I also stand here as the first Indian-American Mayor in our city’s history, and my mother’s family is all still in India.”

The first round of Bhagwat’s three-nation global outreach tour, which includes the US, Canada, and the UK, began in New York on Tuesday. As part of the RSS’s centenary celebrations, the tour was arranged at the invitation of international local organisations. Bhagwat’s speech at Madison Square Garden on Saturday, which is organised by the American Hindus for Engagement and Dialogue (AHEAD) forum, will commemorate the customary celebration of Raksha Bandhan.