Speaking at the “One World, One Humanity” faith leaders’ conference and during a wider diaspora programme in Manhattan, Bhagwat said Hindu thought did not permit a vision of the country in which Muslims had no place. He argued that different faiths could follow separate rituals and traditions while sharing a common spiritual destination.
“If any Hindu thinks there should be no Muslims in Bharat, he may not be a Hindu,” Bhagwat said, adding that anyone identifying as Hindu must accept that different paths can lead to the same divine truth. The remark directly addressed one of the most contested questions surrounding the RSS’s conception of a Hindu Rashtra.
Bhagwat said humanity was one despite religious differences and described truth as singular even when expressed through multiple traditions. He used the idea of “Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam”, or the world as one family, to argue that Hindu civilisation had historically accommodated people of different faiths and communities.
The RSS chief also told members of the diaspora that loyalty to their “karmabhumi”, or land of work, should accompany their emotional connection to their “janmabhumi”, or land of birth. Addressing the Universal Oneness Celebration at Madison Square Garden, he said people of India living abroad should contribute responsibly to the societies in which they reside while retaining cultural ties with their country of origin.
Bhagwat described unity and diversity as embedded in the country’s social character and compared that outlook with the pluralism of the United States. He said diversity should not be treated as a threat to cohesion, and that social harmony depended on recognising dignity across religious and cultural boundaries.
At the faith leaders’ session, Bhagwat also argued that religious and social organisations should begin by working within society rather than seeking political power as their primary instrument. He said politics had become driven by self-interest and maintained that durable change depended on shaping social attitudes. His emphasis placed coexistence and civic responsibility, rather than electoral authority, at the centre of the message he delivered to religious representatives.
The remarks drew sharply different reactions. Chief Imam Umer Ahmed Ilyasi supported Bhagwat’s emphasis on Hindu-Muslim unity, while other Muslim clerics welcomed the message but said its value would ultimately depend on how consistently such principles were reflected in public life and social conduct.
Opposition figures were more critical. Congress leader Rashid Alvi questioned why Bhagwat had chosen the United States to make the appeal, arguing that the message should be voiced as clearly within India. Rajya Sabha member Kapil Sibal also accused the RSS chief of adopting a conciliatory tone abroad while remaining silent on divisive rhetoric at home.
AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi dismissed the speech as part of what he described as a long-standing attempt by the RSS to present an inclusive public image while maintaining positions that critics regard as majoritarian. The RSS rejects allegations that it promotes discrimination against religious minorities and describes itself as a cultural organisation committed to national unity.
Bhagwat’s appearance came amid protests and political criticism in New York. Mayor Zohran Mamdani had said before the event that he opposed what he called an exclusionary vision associated with the RSS, though he acknowledged that the city did not have authority to block a lawful private gathering.
The US Commission on International Religious Freedom had separately urged authorities to revoke Bhagwat’s visa and consider sanctions against RSS members, alleging involvement in religious freedom violations. India’s government has consistently rejected external assessments that accuse it of institutional discrimination against minorities.
