SAN RAMON, Calif. (Diya TV) — U.S.-based Hindu advocacy group HinduPACT has criticized members of the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom over their opposition to Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh chief Mohan Bhagwat’s planned U.S. visit.
HinduPACT issued its statement Aug. 20, accusing USCIRF Chair Dr. Asif Mahmood and Commissioner Gene Mills of unfairly targeting Hindu organizations and India.
Bhagwat is scheduled to visit New York on Aug. 29 for the “Universal Oneness Celebrations,” organized by American Hindus for Engagement and Dialogue, or AHEAD.
HinduPACT argued that USCIRF has strayed from its religious freedom mission and rejected portrayals of the RSS as inherently dangerous. The group pointed to the RSS’s work in social service, education, disaster relief and community programs.
It also questioned calls for sanctions against RSS members, arguing that such measures require strong evidence and due process.
HinduPACT criticized several groups that have opposed Bhagwat’s visit, including the Council on American-Islamic Relations, Indian American Muslim Council and Hindus for Human Rights.
The organization’s claims represent its own position and do not establish that USCIRF or the named groups hold an anti-Hindu agenda.
Bhagwat leads the RSS, one of India’s most influential Hindu organizations. Supporters describe it as a social and cultural movement, while critics have raised concerns about its role in Hindu nationalism and Indian politics.
HinduPACT founder and chair Ajay Shah said the dispute reflects a broader concern over how Hindu organizations are scrutinized in the United States.
USCIRF is an independent federal commission that monitors religious freedom conditions worldwide and makes policy recommendations to the U.S. government.
The controversy comes ahead of Bhagwat’s New York appearance and highlights continuing divisions over the RSS, religious freedom and Hindu political advocacy in the United States.
