RSS chief’s visit to US denounced as ‘goodwill tour’ for Hindu nationalism - Al Jazeera

**RSS chief’s U.S. stop framed as “goodwill tour” for Hindu nationalism**

*New York, Aug 29 (INDGovernment.com)* – The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat arrived in New York on Thursday for a high‑profile appearance at Madison Square Garden, a venue that earlier hosted Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s inaugural U.S. address. The event, billed by the RSS as a cultural and “dialogue” gathering, featured a multimedia display that lit Times Square with images of Bhagwat and slogans such as “resolve, harmony, dialogue.” Organisers said the program aims to showcase the organization’s contribution to India’s social fabric and to strengthen ties with the Indian diaspora.

The visit has been sharply criticized by a coalition of civil‑society groups, opposition politicians and some members of the Indian‑American community, who describe the trip as a “goodwill tour” for Hindu nationalist propaganda. In a statement released to Al Jazeera, the South Asian Human Rights Network warned that the RSS’s “ideology of majoritarian Hindu nationalism” has been linked to increasing communal tensions in India, citing recent incidents of violence against minorities. Former U.S. Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi, who has long advocated for a nuanced U.S.–India partnership, said the timing was “troubling” given the RSS’s controversial role in shaping policy on citizenship and secularism.

Indian media outlets such as NDTV and the Hindustan Times highlighted Bhagwat’s remarks that “a Hindu who wishes no Muslims in India is not truly a Hindu,” a statement that some interpreted as an attempt to soften the RSS’s hard‑line image abroad. Nonetheless, analysts note that the RSS’s expanding global outreach, including high‑visibility events in Western capitals, signals a strategic push to legitimize its worldview on the world stage. The episode arrives amid broader diplomatic negotiations, with Washington seeking greater cooperation on technology and security while also urging India to uphold democratic norms and protect minority rights.