Social media platform X has suspended the account of the American Hindus for Engagement and Dialogue (AHEAD) Forum, the organisation involved in organising an upcoming event featuring Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat in New York.
The account became unavailable on Thursday, just two days before the scheduled “Universal Oneness Celebration” at the Infosys Theater inside Madison Square Garden on August 29. X has not publicly given a specific reason for the suspension. AHEAD, meanwhile, said the action may have been taken in error and appealed for the account to be restored.
The organisation said its communications had focused on peace, harmony, oneness and interfaith and intercultural dialogue. AHEAD has described the New York programme as a multicultural and interfaith gathering and said it is supported by more than 200 Hindu-American organisations.
The suspension comes amid growing controversy surrounding Bhagwat's visit to the United States. New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani has publicly said that he does not support the event. However, he also acknowledged that the city may not have the authority to cancel a private programme. His comments have triggered a wider debate among Indian-American communities and political groups in the US.
Mamdani has criticised what he considers an exclusionary political ideology associated with the RSS. The RSS, however, has defended the event as an open forum focused on dialogue, mutual understanding and respect among different communities.
The controversy intensified after the US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) urged the Trump administration to consider action against RSS members and called for Bhagwat's US visa to be revoked. The commission cited allegations concerning religious freedom and violence against minorities.
India has strongly rejected the USCIRF's allegations. External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal described the commission as biased and lacking credibility, saying India does not expect it to properly reflect the country's pluralistic social framework.
Security has also become a concern ahead of the event. The Hindu American Foundation issued an advisory asking people attending the gathering to remain vigilant, stay aware of their surroundings and keep interactions peaceful. The advisory came amid reports of protests and opposition to Bhagwat's appearance.
Bhagwat is currently on a three-country international outreach tour covering the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom as part of the RSS centenary-year activities. His New York appearance is therefore attracting significant attention from supporters, critics and members of the Indian diaspora.
With the event only days away, the suspension of AHEAD's X account has added another layer to an already heated debate over the programme, free expression, religious freedom and the role of the RSS in the international Indian community.
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