USCIRF Chair Asif Mahmood said he is open to meeting RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat
The comments came days after USCIRF recommended targeted sanctions against RSS members and Indian officials
Mahmood said USCIRF could reconsider its position if direct engagement produced assurances or guarantees
‘We Can Change Our Mind’: USCIRF Chief Chair Asif Mahmood Open To Dialogue With Bhagwat
USCIRF Chair Asif Mahmood said he was open to meeting RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat, days after the US religious freedom body called for targeted sanctions against the organisation.
Summary
US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) Chair Asif Mahmood said he was open to meeting Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat, days after the commission called for targeted sanctions against RSS members and urged the US government to consider revoking Bhagwat's visa, according to ANI.
Mahmood said USCIRF's objective was not to "go and hurt anybody" but to help people facing religious repression. He said he would be willing to sit down with Bhagwat, seek assurances or guarantees and potentially reconsider USCIRF's position, adding, "We can change our mind."
Sanctions Call
On Wednesday, USCIRF said it was "deeply concerned" about Bhagwat's visit to the United States and called on the US government to consider targeted sanctions against RSS members and Indian officials. It also urged Washington to revoke Bhagwat's US visa and make him ineligible for future entry.
The commission said religious freedom conditions in India were continuing to deteriorate and cited alleged violence and incitement against religious minorities. In its 2026 Annual Report, USCIRF recommended that the US State Department designate India a Country of Particular Concern.
USCIRF's 2026 Targeted Sanctions Factsheet also specifically lists the RSS among Indian individuals and entities for which it recommends targeted sanctions.
Open To Engagement
Mahmood's comments suggest that USCIRF sees direct engagement as a possible way to address its concerns and assess whether its position should change.
The comments mark a willingness to engage directly, coming just days after USCIRF's formal statement calling for targeted sanctions.
What Happens Next?
The latest comments do not amount to a reversal of USCIRF's position on the RSS.
USCIRF's Wednesday press release remains the commission's published statement calling for sanctions against RSS members and Indian officials, although USCIRF published an India Country Brief on Thursday that continued its criticism of religious-freedom conditions in the country.
USCIRF is an independent, bipartisan federal government entity established by Congress that makes recommendations on international religious freedom; it does not itself impose US sanctions.
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For now, the contrast is between USCIRF's formal recommendation for sanctions and Mahmood's stated willingness to engage directly with Bhagwat. Whether that dialogue takes place, and whether it leads to any change in USCIRF's position, remains unclear.
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