X restores account of organisers of Mohan Bhagwat’s New York event

Social media platform X on Thursday restored the account of American Hindus for Engagement and Dialogue (AHEAD), organisers of an upcoming New York event featuring Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat, hours after the handle was briefly suspended.

Following the restoration, AHEAD announced that it was “back up” and alleged that its account had been targeted by “misguided opponents” using bots in an attempt to trigger action by X’s systems. The organisation thanked X for responding promptly and restoring the account. It said it would now return its focus to the “Universal Oneness Celebration”, scheduled to be held at the Infosys Theater at Madison Square Garden on August 29.

The account had earlier become unavailable on X, prompting AHEAD to suggest that the suspension may have occurred in error. The organisation maintained that its communications had promoted peace, harmony and interfaith and intercultural dialogue.

Event faces opposition

The temporary suspension came amid growing controversy surrounding Bhagwat’s New York appearance. New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani has publicly said he does not support the RSS or the planned event, while acknowledging that the city does not appear to have jurisdiction to cancel a private gathering. Mamdani described the vision of India he grew up with as that of a pluralistic and secular republic and criticised what he described as an “exclusionary” movement. The RSS has rejected criticism surrounding the gathering, describing the programme as an inclusive interfaith event intended to encourage dialogue among people from diverse cultural and religious backgrounds.

Bhagwat is currently on a three-country outreach tour covering the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom as part of the RSS’s centenary-year activities.

US panel seeks visa revocation

The controversy has also reached the US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), a congressionally created advisory body, which has urged the US administration to revoke Bhagwat’s visa and consider targeted sanctions against RSS members and Indian officials it alleges are involved in religious freedom violations.

The commission has accused RSS-linked groups of involvement in attacks against religious minorities, allegations disputed by the RSS. India has rejected USCIRF’s criticism, with the Ministry of External Affairs describing the commission as biased and questioning its credibility. Despite the political opposition and calls for action against Bhagwat, the August 29 programme remains scheduled to go ahead. With AHEAD’s X account restored, organisers are again using the platform to promote the event ahead of the RSS chief’s appearance.