WASHINGTON: A US government-backed religious freedom watchdog has called for targeted sanctions against members of India’s Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), intensifying scrutiny of the Hindu extremist group, which describes itself as a Hindu nationalist organisation, during the US visit of its chief, Mohan Bhagwat.
The US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) also urged Washington to consider revoking Bhagwat’s US visa, citing concerns over religious freedom violations and the treatment of religious minorities in India.
Bhagwat, who heads the RSS, is currently visiting the United States and is scheduled to address an event in New York City on Saturday. In a statement issued on Wednesday, USCIRF Chair Asif Mahmood urged the US administration to consider “targeted sanctions” against RSS members as well as Indian officials complicit in violations of religious freedom.
The commission also called for the possible cancellation of the visa granted to Bhagwat, placing the RSS and its leadership under renewed international scrutiny.
re is building. @USCIRF is now calling on the U.S. to revoke RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat’s visa and consider targeted sanctions against those complicit in religious freedom violations. The RSS must be held accountable.https://t.co/5rm5ruSirG
— Hindus for Human Rights (@Hindus4HR) August 26, 2026
The USCIRF is an independent, bipartisan US government commission that monitors religious freedom worldwide and provides recommendations to the US government.
Concerns over RSS ideology
The RSS is one of India’s most influential Hindu extremist organisations and is widely regarded as the ideological parent of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which emerged from a political ecosystem closely associated with the organisation.
Human rights watchdogs including HRW and USCIRF have repeatedly criticised the RSS over its Hindu-majoritarian ideology and its impact on religious minorities, particularly Muslims and Christians.
Critics have also accused RSS-linked groups of contributing to communal violence, hate speech, social polarisation and the erosion of democratic space.
Watchdogs further raise concerns over the RSS’s decentralised structure, arguing that its extensive political influence is not matched by comparable transparency or accountability.
Growing international criticism
The latest US intervention comes amid broader international criticism of India’s record on religious freedom and minority rights.
Rights groups and international observers have raised concerns over the spread of hate speech, policies viewed as discriminatory on religious grounds, the demolition of properties belonging to Muslims and other minorities, and legislation affecting religious conversion and freedom of belief.
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Criticism has also intensified over developments in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), particularly following the 2019 removal of the region’s special constitutional status.
The concerns have contributed to growing questions over whether India’s constitutional commitment to religious equality is being adequately upheld, particularly as Hindu-majoritarian politics has become increasingly influential under the BJP-led government.
Pressure over Bhagwat’s US visit
The intervention by the US religious freedom commission has added a fresh layer of scrutiny to Bhagwat’s visit, particularly as his scheduled New York appearance brings the RSS leadership into the spotlight in the United States.
The episode highlights the widening international debate over India’s treatment of minorities and the influence of Hindu extremist organisations on the country’s political and social landscape.
While the USCIRF’s call does not itself impose any sanctions, its recommendation places renewed pressure on Washington to examine the activities of individuals and organisations accused of contributing to religious freedom violations in India.
