NYC Mayor Mamdani Opposes Bhagwat’s Madison Square Garden Event

Bhagwat, who arrived in the US on Tuesday, is visiting the country as part of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh's (RSS) centenary-year global outreach programme. His outreach tour also includes Canada and the UK.

In the US, he is scheduled to address a gathering of around 5,000 people at the iconic Madison Square Garden (MSG) on August 29.

The planned appearance has drawn criticism from several civil rights organisations.

"I don't support the rally, but I don't know if the city has any jurisdiction on cancelling a private event," Mamdani said at a press conference here on Tuesday, responding to a question on the RSS chief's planned event and protests against it.

The Indian-origin mayor was asked whether the MSG event should be cancelled.

Mamdani, who described himself as the first Indian-American mayor in New York City's (NYC) history, said his mother's family is still in India.

He said the vision of India he was taught by his family and grew up familiar with was that of "a pluralistic society" and "a secular republic" that believed in the belonging of each and every person from India.

The 34-year-old NYC mayor said it had been "incredibly troubling" to see the rise of a movement based on an "exclusionary vision", without specifically elaborating on the context of his observation.

He said he was in "deep opposition" to it both as an Indian-American and as mayor of a city that believes deeply in the belonging of every person, regardless of their colour, creed, religion, faith or where they are from.

Mamdani is the son of Indian-origin filmmaker Mira Nair and Ugandan academic Mahmood Mamdani. He took charge as New York City mayor in January.

Several interfaith and civil rights organisations - which include Hindus for Human Rights, Indian American Muslim Council and Interfaith Centre of New York, among others - have opposed Bhagwat's planned appearance at the MSG and urged the iconic venue to cancel the event.

AHEAD Forum, a public policy and research trust, is hosting Bhagwat in the US, with its planned programmes under the banner of "Universal Oneness Celebration". It said in a social media post that the RSS chief's visit "carries a timeless and universal message: The world is one family", as it called upon people to look beyond "artificial divisions and differences".

Bhagwat's ongoing foreign visit is aimed at presenting a "factual and positive perspective on India, Hindu society and the RSS", the organisation's joint general secretary CR Mukunda said in a press conference in Visakhapatnam last week.