Mohan Bhagwat billboard appears in Times Square ahead of RSS chief’s New York event

A billboard featuring Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat appeared in New York’s Times Square on Friday, hours before he was scheduled to address the ‘Universal Oneness Celebrations’ at Madison Square Garden.

Video shared by PTI showed his image prominently displayed at the iconic Manhattan location ahead of the August 29 programme. The Times Square display came amid growing attention around Bhagwat’s New York visit.

Bhagwat arrived in New York on Tuesday. He is visiting the United States as part of a three-nation outreach tour covering the US, Canada and the United Kingdom. The visit comes during the RSS’ centenary year.

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He is scheduled to speak at the Infosys Theatre at Madison Square Garden during the event, which is being organised by the American Hindus for Engagement and Dialogue (AHEAD).

The programme is scheduled from 2 pm to 5:30 pm local time (11:30 pm to 3 am IST) and includes cultural performances, music and artistic presentations.

Bhagwat visits ISKCON temple

Ahead of the programme, Bhagwat visited the ISKCON temple at 26 Second Avenue in New York on Friday, where he offered a garland to Srila Prabhupada and participated in a food distribution initiative for homeless people.

Gauranga Das, governing body commissioner of ISKCON, said the site was significant as it was where Swami Prabhupada founded the organisation in 1966.

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Row over Mohan Bhagwat’s event in New York

A row has erupted in New York over Bhagwat’s scheduled address at Madison Square Garden. More than 200 Hindu American organisations have backed the programme, according to organisers.

The controversy has also spilled onto the streets. Hindus for Human Rights and allied groups have announced a protest outside Madison Square Garden on Saturday. The group says 61 interfaith and secular organisations have signed an open letter opposing the event.

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New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani has publicly opposed the event. He described the RSS as a movement based on “exclusionary vision”. Mamdani also said that city authorities did not have the legal power to stop a privately organised event.

Organisers have similarly presented the event as a celebration of “unity across communities, nations and humanity”, drawing on the Sanskrit idea of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam -- the world is one family.

The US Commission on International Religious Freedom has also entered the controversy. USCIRF chair Asif Mahmood had asked Washington to consider targeted sanctions against RSS members and revoke Bhagwat’s visa. He has since said he was open to meeting Bhagwat for a discussion.

The Ministry of External Affairs called the commission “biased” and accused it of repeatedly making “incorrect and provocative statements” about India.