NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani Opposes Mohan Bhagwat’s Madison Square Garden Event

New York: New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani has voiced opposition to a planned event featuring Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat at Madison Square Garden, while acknowledging that the city may not have the authority to cancel the private programme.

Bhagwat is scheduled to address members of the Indian diaspora at Madison Square Garden on August 29 as part of the RSS’s centenary-year global outreach programme. The event is expected to draw around 5,000 people.

Responding to questions about the programme at a press conference, Mamdani said he did not support the rally but was unsure whether the city had any jurisdiction to stop a privately organised event.

Mamdani, who is of Indian origin, said his understanding of India was shaped by the idea of a pluralistic and secular society in which people from different backgrounds belonged equally.

He expressed concern over what he described as the growth of a movement based on an “exclusionary vision” and said he opposed such an approach both as an Indian-American and as the mayor of a city that emphasises inclusion regardless of colour, religion, faith or background.

Protests Against Bhagwat’s Appearance

Mamdani’s comments came amid opposition from several interfaith and civil rights organisations in New York.

Groups including Hindus for Human Rights, the Indian American Muslim Council and the Interfaith Center of New York held a press conference outside New York City Hall and called for the Madison Square Garden programme to be cancelled.

The event, being organised by the AHEAD Forum, has been described by its organisers as the Universal Oneness Celebration. According to the organisers, the programme aims to promote the idea of humanity as one family and encourage mutual respect and harmony.

Bhagwat’s US visit is part of the RSS’s centenary-year international outreach, which also includes planned engagements in Canada and the United Kingdom.

Mamdani’s Position

While opposing the event politically, Mamdani stopped short of saying that the city would intervene to prevent it. His comments underline the distinction between expressing opposition to a private gathering and having the legal authority to cancel it.

The controversy has brought renewed attention to debates surrounding the RSS, its ideology and its activities among the Indian diaspora in the United States.

The Madison Square Garden programme is currently scheduled for August 29.