Mohan Bhagwat’s New York visit: US religious freedom body pushes sanctions on RSS, urges no high-level meetings
USCIRF Demands Sanctions on RSS Ahead of Bhagwat's US Trip
Theindiapostdaily.com – A federal advisory panel in Washington has formally called for sanctions against the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and advised the Trump administration to withhold diplomatic courtesies and high-level meetings from the organisation's leadership. The US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) made the recommendations publicly through remarks posted on its X account by two of its commissioners.
Commissioner Gene Mills stated that RSS figures should not receive elevated diplomatic treatment even when they hold positions connected to the Indian government. He went further, urging the US Government to target sanctions against RSS members identified as responsible for freedom-of-religious-belief violations.
"Instead, the USG (US Government) should focus on imposing sanctions on RSS members found responsible for FoRB (freedom of religious belief) violations," Mills said.
USCIRF chair Asif Mahmood framed the issue by noting that Prime Minister Narendra Modi belongs to the RSS, which he characterised as an umbrella body whose affiliated sub-groups have carried out attacks on religious minorities, including Christians and Muslims. He pointed out that the RSS serves as the ideological foundation of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
"India's PM Modi is a member of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), an Indian umbrella organisation whose sub-groups have perpetrated attacks on religious minorities, incl. Christians & Muslims. Now the RSS leader, Mohan Bhagwat, plans to visit the US," Mahmood said.
Bhagwat's Multi-Country Itinerary
The remarks land weeks before RSS Chief (Sarsanghachalak) Dr Mohan Bhagwat departs for a multi-nation tour of the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom beginning August 25, 2026. The trip was arranged at the invitation of local associations and organisations tied to the Indian diaspora. In New York, Bhagwat is scheduled to take part in the "Universal Oneness Celebrations" hosted by the American Hindus for Engagement and Dialogue (AHEAD) on August 29.
The timing carries added weight because the RSS is marking its centenary year. During the tour, Bhagwat is expected to engage with diaspora communities and representatives of local organisations across all three countries.
"Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh's (RSS) Sarsanghachalak (Chief) Dr Mohan Bhagwat will be visiting the USA, Canada and the UK from 25th Aug 2026 on the invitation from overseas local associations and organisations. This coincides with the occasion of the ongoing Centenary year of RSS," RSS Prachar Pramukh (chief spokesperson) Sunil Ambekar said.
What USCIRF Does
USCIRF was established under the International Religious Freedom Act (IRFA) of 1998. Its commissioners are appointed jointly by the president and by the leadership of both parties in the Senate and the House of Representatives. The commission's core mandate is to examine facts and circumstances surrounding international religious-freedom violations and to issue policy recommendations to the president, the secretary of state, and Congress.
New Delhi's Pushback
In March, India turned down the USCIRF annual report, which had criticised the country over alleged religious-freedom violations and endorsed "targeted sanctions" against individuals and entities including the RSS. The government characterised the commission's output as a "distorted and selective" portrayal of India, one built on "questionable sources and ideological narratives."
External Affairs Ministry spokesman Randhir Jaiswal, in a statement dated March 16, countered that rather than continuing what he called "selective criticism" of India, the USCIRF ought to turn its attention to "disturbing incidents of vandalism and attacks on Hindu temples in the US, selective targeting of India, and growing intolerance and intimidation of members of the Indian diaspora in the US, which merit serious attention."
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