Sarsanghchalak of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), Mohan Bhagwat Ji’s speech at Madison Square Garden in New York on August 29, 2026, carried a deeply positive message of unity, pluralism, responsibility and service.
He reiterated the core ideology of the RSS, which is also rooted in the philosophy of Sanatana Dharma: all religions and paths can coexist.
I particularly loved his message to the Indian diaspora in the USA: remain connected to our heritage, but also be loyal to our Karma Bhumi and become constructive, contributing members of the society we live in.
This beautiful message from Bhagwat Ji comes in the wake of Mayor Zohran Mamdani and his co religionists in the US and India spreading the usual false narratives about the RSS, while riling up the uninformed against the RSS and Sanatana Dharma.
I was glad to see Mohan Bhagwat Ji dispelling the hateful narratives and rhetoric of the bigots from the Abrahamic faith masquerading as proponents of “secularism.”
A certain faction of my fellow Sanatanis may not agree with his message of religious unity, and I understand why. As they rightly point out, the playing field is far from level, particularly in India, given the atrocities committed against Sanatanis and against the Dharma.
Having said that, what Bhagwat Ji articulated is fundamentally consistent with what Sanatana Dharma itself teaches: “Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam”, the world is one family.
But Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam does NOT mean being passive in the face of aggression, nor does religious coexistence require us to abandon self respect or self preservation. You do not have to keep offering the other cheek simply because you believe in coexistence.
To defend, protect and safeguard our culture, our Dharma and our Bhumi is also our Dharma.
Coexistence does NOT mean surrender. Compassion does NOT mean cowardice. And protecting what is sacred to us is NOT hatred.
Whether through #Shastra or #Shaastra, we have a duty to preserve what we have inherited and pass it on with dignity to the generations that follow.
#RSS