New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani has opposed the proposed Mohan Bhagwat event but questioned the city’s legal authority to cancel it
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani has voiced opposition to a proposed August 29 programme featuring Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat at Madison Square Garden, while acknowledging that the city may not have the legal authority to stop a privately organised event.
Around 5,000 members of the Indian diaspora are expected to attend the gathering, organised by AHEAD Forum as part of the RSS centenary outreach programme.
Speaking at a news conference on Tuesday, Mamdani said he did not support the event but was uncertain whether the city could legally cancel a private function.
Mamdani, who has an Indian-American background, said his opposition was shaped by his understanding of India as a pluralistic and secular republic where people of different backgrounds have an equal place.
He also criticised what he described as the rise of an exclusionary political movement, saying his position reflected both his personal background and his responsibility as mayor to ensure inclusion regardless of religion, colour or origin.
The proposed event has also faced criticism from interfaith and civil rights groups in New York. Hindus for Human Rights, the Indian American Muslim Council and the Interfaith Centre of New York have called for its cancellation.
Bhagwat arrived in the US on Tuesday as part of his international centenary outreach programme, which also includes engagements in Canada and the UK.
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