New York: The Hindu American Foundation (HAF), United States-based Hindu rights advocacy group, has issued a community security advisory ahead of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) Sarsanghchalak Mohan Bhagwat’s ‘Universal Oneness Celebration’ at New York City’s Madison Square Garden on August 29.
The Hindu organisation has urged the attendees and the Hindu community to remain vigilant, stay aware of their surroundings and maintain civil interactions amid spiking opposition to the event. The advisory comes as Sarsanghchalak’s US visit has triggered political opposition from the antithetical camp who adopt selective secularism. Many have called for the event to be cancelled and has urged the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) to issue sanctions against the Sarsanghchalak. However, USCIRF head is a Pakistani American and the wing is known for historically escalating anti-India fake narratives.
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… pic.twitter.com/grjMqNr5MC
— Hindu American Foundation (@HinduAmerican) August 26, 2026
HAF urges vigilance; Urges Mayor Mamdani to protect all New Yorkers equally
In a post on X, the Washington, DC-based Hindu American Foundation said it was issuing the security alert in advance of the Madison Square Garden gathering. The organisation reiterated that activists targeting Hindu Americans and other antiHindu hate elements in the US had attempted to disrupt and cancel the celebration.
“Stay vigilant, remain situationally aware, and keep interactions civil”, HAF said, while urging New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani to uphold his responsibility to protect all New Yorkers, including those attending the event and safeguard their safety and civil rights.
The advisory follows opposition for the event from several organisations, including the Indian American Muslim Council and the Interfaith Center of New York. The groups have irrationally and inevidently criticised the Sarsanghchalak and the RSS and opposed the planned event at Madison Square Garden.
Opposition to Mayor Mamdani’s selective secularism
The hate and anti-Hindu remarks of Zohran Mamdani drew criticism from US singer and actress Mary Millben, who accused Mamdani and other critics of opposing the event because of their opposition to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Millben defended the gathering, pointing out that Madison Square Garden is a private venue and arguing that those opposed to the programme could organise their own rally.
The controversy intensified after USCIRF issued a statement alleging that religious freedom was deteriorating in India. The commission called on the US government to consider targeted sanctions against RSS members and Indian officials whom it accused of complicity in religious freedom violations. It also called for the US visa revocation of Sarsanghchalak.
MEA slams USCIRF’s fake allegations
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has strongly rejected USCIRF’s position. MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal, during an August 21 briefing, described the commission as a biased institution that had made what India considers incorrect and provocative statements over the years. He said such institutions should be ignored because of their agendas and lack of credibility.
RSS Sarsanghchalak’s Madison Square Garden event is part of a three-nation global outreach tour covering the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom as a part of the RSS’s centenary year celebrations. He arrived in New York on August 25, Tuesday for the first leg of the tour.
RSS Akhil Bharatiya Prachar Pramukh Sunil Ambekar has described the ‘Universal Oneness Celebration’ as an interfaith gathering designed to bring together a diverse, multicultural and multi-faith audience. He said the programme would promote open dialogue, mutual respect and shared purpose while reflecting the inclusive nature of the Bharatiya ethos.
Organised by the American Hindus for Engagement and Dialogue (AHEAD) forum, the August 29 event will coincide with Raksha Bandhan and is expected to feature cultural performances and addresses by renowned speakers.
