Agencies | New Delhi:
Union Minister and senior BJP leader Kiren Rijiju has strongly condemned the disrespect shown to the Indian national flag during a demonstration outside Madison Square Garden in New York on Saturday, August 29.
The protest erupted while Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) Chief Mohan Bhagwat was addressing a “Universal Oneness Celebration” event hosted by American Hindus for Engagement and Dialogue (AHEAD) inside the venue’s Infosys Theater.
Reacting sharply to viral videos documenting the desecration of the tricolour, Rijiju stated on X (formerly Twitter) that while political opposition to the government or the RSS is permissible within a democracy, insults against the nation will not be tolerated.
“We always said, you have freedom to criticize RSS, BJP or Govt. but don’t abuse our nation. Listen carefully.. Don’t insult our flag and my country. It will cost you very dearly,” Rijiju posted, sharing footage of the incident.
The demonstration was spearheaded by members of Sikhs for Justice (SFJ), an organization designated as a terrorist entity by the Government of India.
According to reports and viral video footage:
- Protesters were seen disrespecting the Indian tricolour, with one individual tying the flag around his foot for cameras.
- Other demonstrators grabbed another national flag, tearing it apart amid cheering.
- The group displayed anti-India banners, raised extremist slogans, and placed a garland of shoes on a poster cutout of RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat.
Mohan Bhagwat’s address at Madison Square Garden was part of an international tour across three countries linked to the centenary-year global outreach of the RSS.
The demonstration highlights ongoing activities by overseas extremist elements, occurring alongside calls from the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF)—currently chaired by Pakistan-born American Dr. Asif Mahmood—demanding US sanctions against the RSS.
