Ninety US politicians have signed a pledge committing to reject campaign contributions from individuals and entities linked to the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). Organized by advocacy groups Hindus for Human Rights Action and the South Asian American Coalition to Renew Democracy Acts (SACRED Acts), the initiative was announced on August 31. It covers federal, state, and local candidates across at least eight US states.
The campaign was triggered by the recent visit of RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat to New York City, where he addressed a large audience at Madison Square Garden for the “Universal Oneness Celebration”. Ahead of the gathering, the US Commission on International Religious Freedom had urged sanctions against the RSS.
Prominent signatories include US Representatives Pramila Jayapal (D-WA) and Ro Khanna (D-CA). Explaining her stance, Jayapal stated that right-wing organizations seeking to undermine democracy both in the US and in India must be rejected. Khanna expressed concerns regarding foreign influence in US elections, announced he was returning a $6,600 contribution tied to a pro-MAGA billionaire with links to the RSS, and criticized the organization’s historical background.
Pushback and Criticism from Hindu American Organizations:
The initiative faced fierce condemnation from Hindu American community and political advocacy groups. Organizations such as the Hindu American Political Action Committee (HAPAC) argued that the signatories had been pressured or misled, asserting that the campaign unfairly targeted Hindu-American donors. HAPAC criticized the initiative as “plainly discriminatory” and claimed it mirrored anti-Semitic tropes by imposing a loyalty test on American Hindus. Similarly, the Hindu American Foundation criticized the move as un-American for singling out a specific community’s campaign contributions for specialized scrutiny.
