Mohan Bhagwat New York LIVE: RSS chief says politics is now ‘game of self-interest’ | World News

Mohan Bhagwat New York LIVE: Mohan Bhagwat, chief of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, or RSS, which is widely regarded as the ideological parent of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), is scheduled to address around 5,000 members of Indian American organisations at the Infosys Theater inside Madison Square Garden of New York City. The event, titled “Universal Oneness Celebration” and is being organised by American Hindus for Engagement and Dialogue, has made headlines after NYC mayor Zohran Mamdani's remarks on the organisation and USCIRF’s call for sanctions on it.USCIRF is an independent, bipartisan government commission created by the 1998 International Religious Freedom Act to monitor religious freedom abroad.The event is being held during the RSS centenary year. Bhagwat arrived in New York on Tuesday as part of a three-nation outreach tour covering the US, Canada and the UK.Mohan Bhagwat in New York | Top pointsDate and time of RSS chief's event: RSS chief Bhagwat is scheduled to speak at Madison Square Garden in New York City during an event called ‘Universal Oneness Celebrations’ on August 29 between 2 pm and 5:30 pm (ET) (11:30 pm - 2:30 am IST). The event is being organised by the American Hindus for Engagement and Dialogue (AHEAD) forum.What will the event feature: The event will feature a cultural program including performances, music, and artistic expressions, according to the event website. “Through performance and creative expression, attendees will experience — not merely hear — what it means to hold all of creation as one,” it said.New York City mayor Mamdani opposes RSS event: Ahead of the event, New York City mayor Zohran Mamdani said that it was “incredibly troubling” to see the rise of a movement in India that was based on what he called an “exclusionary vision”. Speaking at a press conference on Tuesday, Mamdani stressed his opposition to the rally but pointed out that the city’s government likely did not have the jurisdiction to cancel a private event.Hindu group issues community alert: A US-based advocacy group of Hindu-Americans had also issued a community alert for those attending Bhagwat's New York event, urging them to avoid confrontation with activists opposing the programme on Saturday. The Hindu American Foundation (HAF), a US-based non-profit, warned of attempts to disrupt and cancel the Universal Oneness Celebrations.'Not a Hindu if you think there shouldn't be any Muslim': Speaking at the 'One World One Humanity' event before the Madison Square Garden event, Bhagwat said truth is one and might be described in different ways by people. At the event, Bhagwat said if any Hindu thinks that there should be no Muslim in Bharat, “he will not remain Hindu”. "If you call yourself Hindu, you must believe all paths are leading to the same goal," he said.