US rights body provokes again, seeks to block potential meetings of RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat during his visit

WASHINGTON: Officials from the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) have once again made a provacative gesture as they called for sanctions against the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and urged Washington against extending diplomatic courtesies or holding high-level meetings with its leaders. The rights body is currently chaired by Pakistani-American physician Asif Mahmood.

The remarks from the US advisory body come ahead of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat’s scheduled visit to the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom from August 25, according to sources.

Bhagwat is scheduled to undertake the visit at the invitation of various local associations and organisations associated with the Indian diaspora. The engagement comes at a significant time as the RSS is observing its centenary year. During his visit, Bhagwat is expected to interact with members of the Indian diaspora and representatives of local organisations.

Further details regarding his itinerary and engagements are expected to be announced subsequently. In a post on social media platform X, RSS Prachar Pramukh Sunil Ambekar said, “Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh’s (RSS) Sarsanghachalak (Chief) Dr Mohan Bhagwat will be visiting the USA, Canada and the UK from 25th Aug 2026 on the invitation from overseas local associations and organisations. This coincides with the occasion of the ongoing Centenary year of RSS.”

In a post on X, the USCIRF shared remarks by Commissioner Gene Mills, who said USCIRF Chair Asif Mahmood had described Prime Minister Narendra Modi as a member of the RSS, an umbrella organisation whose affiliated groups have been accused of attacks against religious minorities, including Christians and Muslims.

Chair @DrMahmood40: “India’s PM Modi is a member of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), an Indian umbrella organization whose sub-groups have perpetrated attacks on religious minorities, incl. Christians & Muslims. Now the RSS leader, Mohan Bhagwat, plans to visit the U.S.”

— USCIRF (@USCIRF) August 19, 2026

“India’s PM Modi is a member of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), an Indian umbrella organization whose sub-groups have perpetrated attacks on religious minorities, incl. Christians & Muslims. Now the RSS leader, Mohan Bhagwat, plans to visit the US,” the post read.

In his remarks, Mills also said that RSS leaders should not receive high-level meetings or diplomatic courtesies, even when they are affiliated with the Indian government.

“RSS leaders, even when affiliated with the Indian govt, should not be honored with high-level meetings or diplomatic courtesies. Instead, the USG should focus on imposing sanctions on RSS members found responsible for FoRB violations,” Mills said.

The latest comments follow USCIRF’s annual report released in March thus year, in which the commission criticised India over alleged religious freedom violations and backed “targeted sanctions” against individuals and entities, including the RSS and Research and Analysis Wing.

India firmly rejected the report, accusing USCIRF of presenting a “distorted and selective” picture of the country based on “questionable sources and ideological narratives”.

Strongly pushing back against the panel’s stance, External Affairs Ministry spokesman Randhir Jaiswal, in a statement on March 16, said that instead of persisting with “selective criticism” of India, the USCIRF should reflect on “disturbing incidents of vandalism and attacks on Hindu temples in the US, selective targeting of India, and growing intolerance and intimidation of members of the Indian diaspora in the US, which merit serious attention”. (ANI)