“US body USCIRF seeks sanctions on RSS. It’s led by Pak-origin man with Kashmir history”, IndiaToday, Aug 20, 2026.
“Weeks before RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat’s planned visit to the United States, the US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), a federal body tasked with monitoring religious freedom worldwide, has called for sanctions against the organisation for allegedly “perpetuating attacks on religious minorities”. The USCIRF is headed by Asif Mahmood, a Pakistan-born American citizen, who has maintained close ties with his homeland’s political and diplomatic leadership.
Under Mahmood’s leadership, the USCIRF has repeatedly accused India of “persecuting religious minorities”. Mahmood, has had close relations with Pakistani politicians across parties and has lobbied for Kashmir.
In a post on X, USCIRF released a statement by Commissioner Gene Mills, who said RSS leaders, even when affiliated with the Indian government, should not be accorded high-level meetings or diplomatic courtesies in the US. “Instead, the USG (US Government) should focus on imposing sanctions on RSS members found responsible for FoRB (freedom of religious belief) violations,” the statement said.
The commission also released a statement by its chairperson, Asif Mahmood, who said, “India’s PM Modi is a member of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), an Indian umbrella organisation whose subgroups have perpetrated attacks on religious minorities, including Christians and Muslims. Now the RSS leader, Mohan Bhagwat, plans to visit the US.”………………..”
Read the full article at IndiaToday.
[…] The intervention came weeks before RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat’s planned visit to the United States. USCIRF Commissioner Gene Mills urged American officials to withhold high-level meetings and diplomatic courtesies from RSS leaders. He also called for sanctions against RSS members found responsible for freedom-of-belief violations. […]