Washington, August 26, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
African-American singer and actress Mary Millben has criticised New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani and others who have opposed an upcoming Madison Square Garden event featuring Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat.
Mamdani had said on Tuesday that he did not support the rally but questioned whether the city had the authority to cancel a private event.
“I don’t support the rally, but I don’t know if the city has any jurisdiction on cancelling a private event,” Mamdani told reporters.
Reacting to his remarks, Millben accused Mamdani and his critics of opposing the event because of their opposition to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). In a post on X, she used strong language to criticise what she described as a socialist opposition to the programme and argued that a privately organised event at Madison Square Garden would proceed because of the venue’s commercial nature.
Millben also challenged Mamdani and his supporters to organise their own rally if they opposed the Bhagwat event. At the same time, she said she supported the proposed theme of the gathering, titled “Oneness”, and expressed hope that it would include meaningful discussion on religious freedom in India.
The singer’s comments came after a coalition of 61 civil rights, faith, community and advocacy organisations called on Madison Square Garden to cancel the August 29 event.
Bhagwat recently arrived in the United States to participate in the Hindu gathering in New York, which organisers have described as an event focused on unity, civic responsibility and global harmony. The programme is scheduled to coincide with Raksha Bandhan.
According to the event’s website, Bhagwat is scheduled to address the gathering in Manhattan on Saturday. Organisers have named the programme the “Universal Oneness Celebration” and described it as a major gathering of the Hindu American community.
The organisers said the event would encourage participants to look beyond social divisions, recognise the connections among people and promote mutual respect, harmony and oneness. They also said the gathering would highlight the growing role of Hindu Americans in public life and their contributions to education, healthcare, business, public service, philanthropy and civic engagement.
They said issues including social cohesion, pluralism, civic participation and interfaith understanding had assumed greater significance in the United States.
Millben, 41, is known in India for her performances of the national anthem “Jana Gana Mana” and the devotional song “Om Jai Jagdish Hare”.
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