The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh has rejected criticism from civil society groups over chief Mohan Bhagwat’s visit to Britain, saying differing views are normal in a democracy and should not be treated as a shock.
RSS head of media Sunil Ambekar said in London on Friday that the organisation was open to dialogue with critics and would continue engaging with people willing to discuss its ideas. “We are here for peace, integration and oneness and we are open for dialogue with everyone,” he said. “In a democracy, it is very normal to raise different voices.”
Ambekar said the RSS expected debate and an exchange of views during the visit. “We are here to communicate what we are and how we think. We are very much open. We have nothing to hide. We expect a debate and exchange of thoughts. Let them speak,” he said.
The remarks followed objections from several UK-based civil society and diaspora organisations to Bhagwat’s trip. Groups including Hindus for Human Rights UK, South Asia Solidarity Group, UK Indian Muslim Council and India Labour Solidarity have urged public authorities and political figures to distance themselves from the visit.
An open letter addressed to London Mayor Sadiq Khan sought assurances that Greater London Authority land or premises would not be used for RSS events and called on the mayor to condemn the visit. The signatories accused the organisation of promoting a divisive Hindu nationalist ideology and argued that Bhagwat’s engagements risked deepening tensions within the South Asian diaspora.
A spokesperson for Khan said the mayor did not have the power to ban people from speaking, while stressing that London valued diversity and had no place for intolerance.
Labour MP Nadia Whittome also submitted a written parliamentary question asking the Home Office whether Bhagwat’s visit engaged the government’s commitment to prevent hate preachers and extremists from entering Britain. Security Minister Dan Jarvis said the government applied immigration rules and other relevant policies when considering entry, while declining to discuss individual cases.
Bhagwat arrived in London on September 2 for the final stage of a three-city centenary outreach tour after engagements in New York and Toronto. The RSS has described the journey as part of a wider programme of dialogue marking 100 years since the organisation’s founding.
The London programme runs from September 2 to 7 and is being coordinated by Integral, a UK-based organisation involved in community dialogue and engagement. The RSS said more than 115 UK-based socio-cultural organisations had joined the programme welcoming Bhagwat and supporting meetings during his stay.
Bhagwat has been meeting faith leaders, academics, researchers and other public figures. His itinerary has included visits to the Shree Swaminarayan Temple in Willesden and the Khalsa Jatha British Isles gurdwara, with a Jain temple visit also scheduled.
A community leaders’ reception and dialogue under the theme “Celebration of Oneness” is due to be held on September 6. The RSS said more than 310 community organisations and associations from across Britain were expected to take part.
The UK leg follows Bhagwat’s stop in New York, where he addressed a multi-faith gathering and the “Universal Oneness” conference at Madison Square Garden. The RSS said the conference drew more than 6,000 delegates representing 250 organisations. His subsequent Toronto programme included the “Hindu Vishwa Bandhu” conference, which the organisation said drew more than 2,000 delegates.
Bhagwat’s New York appearance also attracted opposition from groups critical of the RSS, while New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani publicly criticised the organisation’s ideology. Those objections were cited by some UK campaigners seeking similar political condemnation in London.
Ambekar, responding to claims about the RSS’s role in the 2022 Leicester unrest, said the violence was a domestic UK matter and denied organisational involvement. He also said the visit was intended to address what he described as misconceptions in the West about the RSS, Hindutva and the organisation’s conception of Bharat.
