New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani has opposed the upcoming Madison Square Garden event featuring RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat, describing the organisation’s ideology as “exclusionary” while saying the city may not have the authority to cancel a privately organised event.
Speaking at a press conference on Tuesday, 25 August 2026, Mamdani invoked his Indian-American identity and said he had grown up with an understanding of India as a pluralistic and secular republic.
“I also stand here as the first Indian American mayor in our city’s history. My mother’s family is all still in India. The vision of India that I was taught by my family and the one that I grew up being very familiar with was of a pluralistic society, of a secular republic, that believed in the belonging of each and every person who was from India. It has been incredibly troubling to see the rise of a movement that is predicated on an exclusionary vision of any country, frankly. So it is one that I find myself in deep opposition to. Not only as an Indian-American, but also as the mayor of a city that believes deeply in the belonging of each and every person, no matter their colour, their creed, their religion, their faith, wherever they’re from… I don’t support the rally, but I don’t know if the city has any jurisdiction on canceling a private event.”
VIDEO | On RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat’s event at Madison Square Garden, New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani says, “… I also stand here as the first Indian American mayor in our city’s history. My mother’s family is all still in India. The vision of India that I was taught by my… pic.twitter.com/2UbDYj7WHu
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) August 25, 2026
The event, scheduled for 29 August 2026, is being organised as part of Bhagwat’s US visit during the RSS centenary year and is expected to draw around 5,000 members of the Indian diaspora.
Mamdani’s remarks have also drawn attention to his own associations with the Islamic Society of Bay Ridge in Brooklyn. In January 2025, while campaigning for mayor, Mamdani posted that he was attending Jummah prayers at the mosque and appeared in photographs alongside Imam Muhammad Al-Barr.
It was a privilege to join Jummah prayers at the Islamic Society of Bay Ridge today. pic.twitter.com/3WjtQLohtv
— Zohran Kwame Mamdani (@ZohranKMamdani) January 17, 2025
Just five months earlier, Al-Barr had been recorded in the same mosque delivering a prayer calling for violent jihad, “Oh Allah, grant victory to all of them, and do not grant anyone victory over them. Oh Allah, lift the enemy’s hands from them. Oh Allah, protect their honor and their life. Oh Allah, annihilate those who occupied their lands, those who betrayed and deserted them and those who spilled their blood. Annihilate all of them and show us your fierce punishment and revenge upon them.”
He further said, “In 1967, enormous Arab armies were not able to stand in the face of the Israeli aggression for more than 6 days. Our armies were destroyed, and our lands were occupied in a matter of 6 days. The (Arab) armies raised the white flags and retreated from the battlefield. They declared their defeat, and they took pride in this for the whole world to see. This took place in 1967. In 1973, the armies of Egypt and Syria together were not able to keep standing in the face of aggression for more than 3 months. Then disengagement and ceasefire agreements were signed, and so on. And we are talking about armies with many soldiers, armed to the teeth. So what should we say about men who do not have even one percent of what these armies have, and despite this, they are still holding out steadfast, after 316 days? 316 days! We ask Allah to make them strong and guide their shooting. We ask Allah to accept their martyrs. Enormous armies have not been able to hold out steadfastly, and their commanders declared defeat after defeat, while these people receive no support save that of Allah. We ask Allah to reward all this effort and sacrifice with a great victory for them and for all the Muslims.”
#ICYMI: Brooklyn Friday Sermon by Imam Muhammad Al-Barr: Oh Allah, We Ask You to Liberate Palestine from the Occupiers and Annihilate Them; Grant Victory to Our Mujahideen Brothers and Guide Their Shooting pic.twitter.com/IasIkvqEDe
— MEMRI (@MEMRIReports) August 25, 2024
Mamdani Celebrates Pak Independence Day Despite His Own Religious Equality Test
The contrast has drawn further scrutiny after Mamdani publicly participated in Pakistan Independence Day celebrations in Brooklyn. On 10 August 2026, he attended the Allama Iqbal Community Center’s Mela and praised the contributions of Pakistani New Yorkers, saying the community’s “open arms, determination, and dreams for a better life” had helped shape New York.
The appearance has been questioned in light of Mamdani’s June remarks on Israel. Asked whether he supported Israel specifically as a Jewish state, he said, “I believe that any state that privileges one religion over the other is one that I can’t tell you I support, whether it be Israel or Saudi Arabia or anywhere else.”
Pakistan’s Constitution, however, explicitly declares Islam as the state religion and gives Islam a distinct constitutional position. Pakistan has also faced decades of international scrutiny over Pakistan-based terrorist organisations and allegations concerning support provided to militant groups.
Mamdani has therefore been accused of applying a different standard when discussing Israel and Pakistan: Israel’s Jewish character is presented as a reason to withhold support, while Pakistan’s Islamic constitutional identity has not prevented him from publicly celebrating its national day.
The Larger Contradiction
Mamdani’s opposition to Bhagwat’s RSS event was framed around pluralism, secularism and equal belonging. Yet his public positions have raised questions about whether those principles are being applied consistently.
The issue is not whether Pakistani-Americans should be celebrated or whether their community contributions should be recognised. It is whether the same standard of religious neutrality and pluralism invoked by Mamdani against Israel is applied consistently to other countries and political movements.
His comments on the RSS, his association with the Islamic Society of Bay Ridge, and his public celebration of Pakistan expose his hypocrisy on his statements of principled pluralism.
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