Kiren Rijiju fumes after viral video shows Indian flag desecration in New York: ‘Will cost you dearly’

Union parliamentary affairs minister Kiren Rijiju on Sunday took serious offence to a video allegedly showing the Indian flag being desecrated outside the New York venue where RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat addressed an event.

Sharing the purported video on X, Rijiju said that one is free to criticise the RSS, BJP or the government, but warned against disrespecting the Indian national flag.

“We always said, you have freedom to criticise RSS, BJP or Govt. but don't abuse our nation,” he wrote on X.

"Listen carefully... Do not insult our flag and my country. It will cost you dearly," the Union minister added.

What does the video show

The unverified video, now doing rounds on social media, shows a man desecrating the Indian flag outside Madison Square Garden in New York while others raised pro-Khalistan slogans.

The unidentified person in the clip can be seen standing on a staircase while a tricolour can be seen wrapped around his feet.

HT could not independently verify the authenticity of the video.

It appears as if the man has wrapped part of the national flag to his shoes, while continuously flaring and kicking the rest. He was also seen dancing in the video as others around him cheered and clicked photos.

Mohan Bhagwat in New York

Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat on Saturday addressed the crowd at Madison Square Garden, where he emphasised that unity and diversity are in the DNA of Indians. He added that when one thinks of America, the word “pluralism” often comes to mind.

“Whenever you think of America, one word is often discussed — pluralism. When we say Bharat, another phrase is discussed — unity in diversity. For Bharat, both unity and diversity are in its DNA,” he said.

Speaking at the ‘Universal Oneness Celebration’ in New York City, Bhagwat elaborated on the concept of “oneness”, saying that despite differences in the way people live and in their material needs, an “innate oneness” binds all everyone together.

He also said that a Hindu who believes India should have no Muslims isn’t truly a Hindu.

“If you call yourself a Hindu, you must believe that all paths lead to the same destination. Every human being has inherent dignity, there is no fundamental difference between us,” Bhagwat said.

“Those who truly know view everyone equally, whether a learned scholar or a dog. These external differences merely decorate nature. While we must navigate through them in daily life, the underlying reality remains, we are one. The illusions of division exist and may thrive for a time, but eventually they will fade, only for new illusions to take their place,” he added.

The event had sparked controversy amid opposition from some US-based Hindu organisations and following remarks by New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, who described it as “incredibly troubling” to see the rise of a movement in India based on what he called an “exclusionary vision”.