The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) has raised significant concerns regarding the current visit of Mohan Bhagwat, the chief of India’s Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), to the United States. In response to the visit, the commission has called upon the US government to implement targeted sanctions against RSS members and to revoke the visa issued to Bhagwat, effectively rendering him ineligible for future entry into the country.
USCIRF officials allege that members of various RSS subgroups have been responsible for violent attacks directed at religious minorities, including Sikhs, Muslims, Dalits, and Christians. The commission further contends that the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in India has implemented policies that align closely with the Hindutva ideology of the RSS, which the commission argues results in the discrimination of minority communities.
"Religious freedom conditions in India continue to deteriorate as violence and incitement are frequently used to target religious minority communities," stated USCIRF Chair Asif Mahmood. Echoing these concerns, Vice Chair Cece Heil emphasized that the US government has a clear opportunity to hold India accountable and demonstrate its commitment to religious freedom. Heil warned that without such accountability, vigilante attacks against minorities and their houses of worship are likely to continue without intervention.
The commission highlighted ongoing issues regarding civil society, noting that under the current BJP-led administration, authorities have forcefully expelled Muslim citizens in Assam under the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and the National Register of Citizens (NRC). Additionally, the commission expressed concern that pending amendments to the Financial Contributions Regulation Act (FCRA) could threaten the operations of faith-based non-governmental organisations. In its 2026 Annual Report, USCIRF recommended that the US State Department officially designate India as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC) due to what it describes as systematic, ongoing, and egregious violations of religious freedom.
