The X ( formerly Twitter) account of the organisation hosting Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat‘s event at Madison Square Garden has been suspended days before the event.The American Hindus for Engagement and Dialogue (AHEAD) was listed as “unavailable” on X under the handle @AheadForum1. The account was suspended ahead of Bhagwat’s scheduled address at the Universal Oneness Celebration at the Infosys Theatre at Madison Square Garden on August 29.The programme is expected to draw around 5,000 Indian Americans as part of the RSS’s global outreach during its centenary year. The organisation later issued a statement saying, “AHEAD believes the suspension may have occurred in error.”Earlier this week, New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani said he did not support the planned event, while acknowledging that his office may not have the authority to cancel a private gathering.“I don’t support the rally, but I don’t know if the city has any jurisdiction on cancelling a private event,” Mamdani told reporters on Tuesday.Mamdani’s comments have triggered criticism among sections of the Indian-American diaspora and have also drawn opposing reactions from Indian political parties. His remarks came as left-liberal groups criticised the event and called for its cancellation.The mayor said his objection was linked to what he described as competing visions of India. Mamdani, New York’s first Indian-American and Muslim mayor, said the India he was taught about by his family represented “a pluralistic society” and “a secular republic” in which everyone belonged.He said the growth of a movement based on what he called an “exclusionary vision” was “incredibly troubling.”The controversy has also prompted a security advisory from the Hindu American Foundation (HAF), a US-based non-profit organisation. HAF urged people attending the event to remain vigilant, stay aware of their surroundings and keep interactions civil.The Hindu American Foundation (HAF), a US-based non-profit organisation, issued a security advisory ahead of the event, urging attendees to remain vigilant, stay aware of their surroundings and keep interactions civil.“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,” the organisation said in a post on X.HAF said the advisory followed attempts by activists targeting Hindu Americans to disrupt and cancel the celebration. It also called on Mamdani to ensure the safety of people attending the event.The advisory comes amid sustained criticism of the RSS chief and the August 29 programme. Bhagwat is scheduled to address the Universal Oneness Celebration at the Infosys Theatre as the RSS marks its centenary and steps up its international outreach.The event has also drawn scrutiny from the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), which has urged the US government to consider sanctions against RSS members and Indian officials it alleges are involved in religious freedom violations in India.“We urge the US government to consider targeted sanctions against RSS members and Indian officials complicit in religious freedom violations, including revoking the visa issued to Mohan Bhagwat and making him ineligible for future entry into the United States,” the body said.The commission is chaired by Pakistani-American Asif Mahmood.India’s Ministry of External Affairs has previously rejected USCIRF’s assessments, accusing the body of bias and questioning its credibility. During an August 21 press briefing, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said the commission had made what he described as “incorrect and provocative statements about India” for years.“We all know this is a biased institution. For years, it has made incorrect and provocative statements about India. We should ignore such institutions, as they have their own agendas and lack credibility,” Jaiswal said.
