USCIRF seeks RSS sanctions before Bhagwat visit

The US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) has called for targeted sanctions against the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and urged the US government to deny high-level meetings and diplomatic courtesies to RSS leaders, ahead of RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat's planned visit to the US, Canada, and the UK starting August 25, 2026. USCIRF Chair Asif Mahmood and Commissioner Gene Mills made the remarks, citing alleged attacks on religious minorities by RSS-affiliated groups. The visit, part of the RSS centenary-year outreach, includes a 'Universal Oneness Celebration' in New York on August 29, organized by American Hindus for Engagement and Dialogue (AHEAD). Advocacy group United for Human Rights also criticized the visit. India, through the Ministry of External Affairs, rejected USCIRF's allegations as 'distorted and selective' and pointed to attacks on Hindu temples in the US. USCIRF's recommendations are advisory and do not automatically become US policy.