USCIRF Calls for Sanctions Against RSS Ahead of Bhagwat Visit

The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom has called for sanctions against the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh and urged the U.S. government to deny its leaders high-level meetings or diplomatic courtesies. The appeal, made by the independent federal advisory body, comes ahead of RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat's planned visit to New York on August 29 for the Universal Oneness Celebrations.

In a series of posts on the social media platform X on August 19, USCIRF Chair Asif Mahmood stated that Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is a member of the RSS, which he described as an umbrella organization whose subgroups have perpetrated attacks on religious minorities, including Christians and Muslims. Commissioner Gene Mills echoed this, saying RSS leaders should not be honored with high-level meetings or diplomatic courtesies, even when affiliated with the Indian government. Mills instead called on the U.S. government to focus on imposing sanctions on RSS members found responsible for violations of freedom of religion or belief.

The RSS is a Hindu nationalist organization and the ideological parent of India's ruling Bharatiya Janata Party. Bhagwat's visit to New York is...