Akhilesh takes dig at RSS over Bhagwat’s US visit, X account suspension

Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav mocked the RSS after the suspension of the X account of AHEAD forum organisers hosting Mohan Bhagwat’s New York event. Calling them “unregistered-underground” people, Yadav posed sharp questions on their foreign activities.

Lucknow: Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav on Thursday took a swipe at the RSS over the suspension of the X account of an organisation hosting its chief Mohan Bhagwat’s New York event, referring to those associated with the organisation as “unregistered-underground” people.

Bhagwat is in New York as part of a three-nation visit and is scheduled to address the Universal Oneness Celebrations at the Infosys Theatre at Madison Square Garden (MSG) on August 29. The event is billed as an inter-faith gathering where he will interact with a diverse, multi-cultural and multi-faith audience.

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Sharing an image of a news report on X which mentioned the suspension of the X account of Bhagwat’s event organisers, Yadav said, “When ‘Unregistered-Underground’ people emerge abroad, their X accounts are bound to be suspended.”

The X handle of the American Hindus for Engagement and Dialogue (AHEAD) Forum, which is hosting the event, became unavailable to users on Wednesday. The organisation, operating later, said it believed the suspension may have occurred in error and expressed confidence that its communications had consistently promoted “universal peace, oneness, harmony, and constructive interfaith and intercultural dialogue” in accordance with X’s policies.

Yadav, who usually takes a dig at the RSS without naming it directly or its leaders, then posed a series of questions, saying Indians settled across the world were raising them with “great seriousness and concern”.

“Why have those who raise the slogan of ‘Swadeshi’ gone abroad in the first place? Have they gone to study FCRA = Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act? Have they gone to research why the Indian rupee is falling against the US dollar?” the former UP chief minister said.

“Have they gone to get something added to the ‘American deal’ to ruin Indian farmers? Have they gone there too to vitiate the communal atmosphere? Have they gone to spread their ‘separatism’?” Yadav said.

He asked whether they have gone looking for ground for their “divisive” digging-tool ideology.

“Have they gone to make the laws there also ‘Smritimay’ (based on the Smritis)? Have they gone to expand their branches?” he said.

“Have they gone looking for lawyers on how to save the sources of income of their buildings in India from statutory scrutiny?

“Have they gone looking for some new word like ‘review’ or ‘reform’ against reservation? Have they gone to consult their ideological kin on weakening the Constitution of India?” Yadav asked.

He further asked if they have gone to the US to “tarnish” the country’s image or have they gone on a study tour of new technology for building tunnels or have they gone to establish contact with their people in hiding.

“Have they gone to create a crisis for Indians living there? Have they gone to turn foreign policy towards bloc alignment? Have they gone to celebrate the final festival marking the twilight of their term? Have they gone to explore the possibility of seeking political patronage there in the future?” Yadav said.

Yadav’s remarks came amid controversy over Bhagwat’s US visit, with the US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) urging the Trump administration to revoke his visa.

India has rejected USCIRF’s allegations, with External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal calling it a “biased organisation” lacking credibility.