Ahead of his address to the Indian diaspora at Madison Square Garden, images of RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat were prominently displayed on billboards in Times Square. This event marks a significant moment for the Indian community in the United States, showcasing the influence and visibility of Indian leaders abroad.
Bhagwat arrived in the US on Tuesday as part of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh’s (RSS) centenary-year global outreach programme. His outreach tour also includes Canada and the UK. The event, titled ‘Universal Oneness Celebration’, is organised by American Hindus for Engagement and Dialogue (AHEAD). Several members of the India-American community posed in Times Square as Bhagwat’s photos appeared on the billboard. Bhagwat’s planned appearance at the Madison Square Garden has drawn criticism from several civil rights organisations. In the US, Bhagwat has held meetings and discussions with members of the diaspora, Indian-American business executives and community leaders. The RSS chief visited the Bhakti Centre in New York and also paid tributes to Indian spiritual leader Srila A C Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, founder of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON). (Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
In the US, he is scheduled to address a gathering of around 5,000 people at the iconic Madison Square Garden on Saturday.
The organisation has described the event as a “landmark Raksha Bandhan gathering”. Through cultural presentations and keynote addresses, the event will explore the theme of universal oneness and the Hindu principle of ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’ – the world is one family, the organisers said. Ahead of the MSG event, images of Bhagwat, with headings of words “Resolve, Harmony and Dialogue” were projected on one of the main billboards in Times Square on Friday evening. New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani has said he does not support the planned event at Madison Square Garden featuring the RSS chief. Mamdani, however, noted that the city may not have jurisdiction to cancel the “private” event.
