Faith Leaders Apologize After Appearing at R.S.S. 100-Year Event

Q: Will the U.S. government revoke the visa of the nationalist leader after human rights groups demanded severe sanctions over the New York gatherings?

There is no indication the U.S. government has revoked Mohan Bhagwat’s visa, and it is not possible to say from the available facts that it will. What is clear is that the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom has urged Washington to consider targeted sanctions against RSS members and Indian officials tied to alleged religious-freedom abuses, including revoking Bhagwat’s visa. But USCIRF is an advisory federal body: its recommendations are not binding, and the searched material notes that Washington has not acted on similar recent recommendations. The New York controversy has intensified pressure. Religious leaders who appeared at the RSS-linked events said they were misled by invitations that did not mention the RSS or Bhagwat, and several later apologized publicly. Protests in New York, criticism from civil-rights and interfaith groups, and concern voiced by public officials have all added to scrutiny of Bhagwat’s visit. Even so, no U.S. agency announcement cited here shows that the State Department or Department of Homeland Security has taken action against Bhagwat’s visa. India has also rejected the allegations behind the sanctions push, calling USCIRF biased. So the most accurate answer is that revocation has been demanded, but no confirmed U.S. government move to revoke Bhagwat’s visa has been reported as of September 3, 2026.

1 articles · Updated · The New York Times · Sep 3

Several progressive U.S. faith leaders issued public apologies this week after appearing at Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh events in New York that marked the Hindu nationalist group’s 100th anniversary.
A dozen emails reviewed by The New York Times did not mention the R.S.S. or its leader Mohan Bhagwat, and attendees said they believed they were joining interfaith programs focused on religious unity.
Imam Shamsi Ali of the Jamaica Muslim Center said he felt “betrayed,” while other leaders said they had spent years opposing the kind of religious supremacist ideology associated with the group.
The controversy widened criticism around the Madison Square Garden celebration, which had already drawn protests and denunciations from New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani.