'I Don't Support The Rally, But...': Zohran Mandani On RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat's Event In New York

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani has opposed a planned Madison Square Garden event featuring Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh chief Mohan Bhagwat. The private gathering is scheduled for Saturday, August 29, 2026.

Organisers expect around 5,000 attendees at the iconic venue. Bhagwat landed in the United States on Tuesday, kicking off the global outreach initiative marking the centenary year of the RSS.

"I don't support the rally, but I don't know if the city has any jurisdiction on cancelling a private event," Mamdani said, in remarks published.

Mayor Cites Personal Heritage

Mamdani is the first Indian-American Mayor in NYC history. His mother's family still resides in India.

"I also stand here as the first Indian-American Mayor in our city's history, and my mother's family is all still in India," Mamdani said.

The mayor said his family taught him a vision of India as "a pluralistic society, of a secular republic that believed in the belonging of each and every person who was from India". He linked this upbringing to his current political stance against the gathering.

"And it has been incredibly troubling to see the rise of a movement that is predicated on an exclusionary vision of any country, frankly, and so it is one that I find myself in deep opposition to, not only as an Indian-American but also as the Mayor of a city that believes deeply in the belonging of each and every person, no matter their colour, their creed, their religion, their faith, wherever they're from," Mamdani said.

Protests and Organiser Response

Various civil rights and interfaith organisations gathered outside New York City Hall for a press briefing, demanding that Madison Square Garden call off the gathering.

Among the groups protesting were the Interfaith Centre of New York, the Indian American Muslim Council and Hindus for Human Rights. The AHEAD Forum is organising the gathering, titled "Universal Oneness Celebration".

"The event carries a timeless and universal message: 'The world is one family'. It calls upon us to look beyond artificial divisions and differences, recognise the bonds that unite humanity, and embrace a spirit of mutual respect, harmony, and oneness," an AHEAD Forum social media post stated.

Bhagwat's wider international tour includes stops in the US, Canada and the UK. The tour forms part of the RSS centenary outreach programme.