RSS Defends Mohan Bhagwat's UK Tour Against Critics
· India · Times of India, Hindustan Times
The RSS dismissed criticism from UK civil rights groups and Labour MP Nadia Whittome over its chief Mohan Bhagwat's visit to London, calling such differences of opinion "normal" in a democracy. RSS spokesperson Sunil Ambekar, addressing reporters in London on September 4, said the organisation was in the UK for "peace, integration and oneness" and was open to dialogue with anyone willing to engage. Bhagwat arrived in London on September 2 as the final leg of a three-city outreach tour that included New York and Toronto, framed as a "dialogue mission" to mark the RSS centenary. Hindu groups including Hindus for Human Rights UK had written to London mayor Sadiq Khan urging him to condemn the visit, citing New York mayor Zohran Mamdani's similar stance. Ambekar also rejected allegations linking the RSS to the 2022 Leicester riots, calling it a "UK domestic issue" and insisting Hindus are "a peace-loving community."
Why it matters
The episode spotlights how Indian ideological organisations engage with diaspora communities abroad, drawing both political pushback in host countries and questions about Hindutva's framing on the global stage.
Read the original report — Times of India
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