WASHINGTON, D.C. — Three prominent US-based Sikh organizations have issued an urgent joint request to US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, urging him to deny entry to Mohan Bhagwat, the chief (Sarsanghchalak) of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS).
In a formal letter dated August 20, 2026, the American Sikh Caucus Committee (ASCC), the Sikh Coordination Committee East Coast (SCCEC), and the American Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (AGPC) voiced strong opposition to Bhagwat’s upcoming visit to the United States. Bhagwat is scheduled to arrive in the country on or about August 25, 2026, and is slated to attend a major public event at Madison Square Garden in New York on August 29.
![Mohan Bhagwant [File Photo]](https://sikhsiyasatnews.net/wp-content/uploads/Mohan-Bhagwant-File-Photo.jpg)
The coalition’s letter alleges that the RSS and its affiliated organizations have a documented record of promoting ideologies and activities that contribute to violence, discrimination, and persecution against religious minorities in India, specifically citing Sikhs, Muslims, and Christians. Furthermore, the organizations raised alarms about ongoing transnational repression, stating that Sikh Americans continue to face intimidation and threats linked to entities associated with both the RSS and the Government of India.
To support their appeal, the groups noted that the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) has publicly expressed serious concerns regarding the RSS’s role in religious freedom violations. The signatories argued that allowing the RSS chief to enter and be honored on U.S. soil would send a “deeply troubling signal” to the international community. They urged the United States to withhold diplomatic courtesies and high-level access from leaders of organizations with records of documented harm to religious minorities.
The urgent appeal was signed by key leaders of the representing bodies: Pritpal Singh, Coordinator for the ASCC; Himmat Singh, Coordinator for the SCCEC; and Gurdev Singh Nannan, Acting President of the AGPC. The organizations also offered to provide additional information or brief State Department staff on the matter if necessary.
