New York: Images of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat were displayed on a prominent billboard in New York’s Times Square on Friday, ahead of his scheduled address at Madison Square Garden on Saturday, August 29. The billboard featured Bhagwat alongside the message “Resolve, Harmony and Dialogue.”
The display comes at a time when Bhagwat’s planned appearance in New York has become the subject of intense debate within the Indian-American community and among civil rights and interfaith groups.
Bhagwat to Address Indian Diaspora at Madison Square Garden
Bhagwat is scheduled to address around 5,000 people at the Madison Square Garden event, titled the “Universal Oneness Celebration.” The programme is being organised by American Hindus for Engagement and Dialogue (AHEAD) and has been presented as an event focused on unity, shared heritage and dialogue.
The event forms part of the RSS’s centenary outreach activities and Bhagwat’s ongoing visit to the United States.
The Times Square billboard is being viewed by supporters as an important public display ahead of the event. Several members of the Indian-American community were also seen in Times Square as Bhagwat’s image appeared on the screen.
Boycott Calls and Protests
The Madison Square Garden programme has also attracted opposition. A coalition of 61 interfaith and secular organisations has reportedly signed an open letter protesting the event. Groups involved in the campaign have argued that the RSS does not represent their understanding of Hinduism and have raised concerns about the organisation’s ideology and its record on minority rights.
Several civil rights and interfaith organisations, including Hindus for Human Rights, the Indian American Muslim Council and the Interfaith Center of New York, have publicly called for the event to be cancelled.
The controversy has also drawn the attention of New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, who has criticised what he described as an exclusionary political vision associated with the RSS. Mamdani said he did not support the event while acknowledging the broader issue of allowing people to express their views.
Supporters Defend the Event
Supporters of Bhagwat and the event organisers have pushed back against the criticism, describing the programme as an opportunity for dialogue, cultural engagement and Hindu-American community participation.
The event has reportedly received support from more than 200 Hindu-American organisations, illustrating the sharp divisions within the diaspora over Bhagwat’s visit and the RSS’s role in the global Indian community.
The debate has consequently moved beyond the event itself, raising wider questions about free expression, political ideology, religious identity and the role of diaspora organisations in the United States.
Times Square Display Adds to Spotlight
The Times Square billboard has added another highly visible element to Bhagwat’s New York visit. With his Madison Square Garden appearance scheduled for August 29, the display has ensured that the RSS chief’s visit remains firmly in the public spotlight.
The contrasting reactions — from supporters promoting “resolve, harmony and dialogue” to opponents calling for a boycott — reflect the deep divisions surrounding Bhagwat and the RSS within sections of the Indian-American community.
As the Madison Square Garden programme approaches, the event is expected to remain a closely watched moment in Bhagwat’s international outreach and in the ongoing debate over the RSS’s global image.
