US Panel Chair Softens Stance, Says Open To Dialogue With RSS After Sanctions Demand

The chair of the US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), Dr Asif Mahmood, has said he is open to dialogue with Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat, just days after calling for sanctions against the organisation. Mahmood said the commission's objective was not to target or harm anyone, but to address concerns involving people facing religious repression and discrimination. Mahmood's comments mark a softer tone after USCIRF had urged the US government to consider sanctions against the RSS. Speaking about the possibility of engaging directly with the organisation's leadership, he indicated that dialogue remained possible despite the commission's critical assessment.

His remarks suggest that the panel does not view its recommendations as preventing further engagement with Indian organisations or political and social groups. “I am open for dialogue,” Mahmood said when asked about the possibility of meeting Bhagwat. He also stressed that the commission's position could evolve if circumstances or available information changed. “We can change our mind,” he said, emphasising that the panel's approach was intended to be based on its assessment of religious freedom conditions rather than a predetermined effort to target particular individuals or organisations.

Mahmood explained that USCIRF's purpose was not to “go and hurt anybody” but to work towards improving conditions for people who face repression. He said the commission's goal was to “do good for the people who are repressed in that country and society”. The comments came amid a broader debate over the commission's assessment of religious freedom in India and its recommendations to the US administration. USCIRF is an independent US federal commission that monitors religious freedom conditions around the world and makes policy recommendations to the US government.

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Its recommendations do not themselves impose sanctions, but they can call for measures by the US administration against individuals or organisations that the commission believes are responsible for serious violations of religious freedom. The panel's latest position on the RSS has therefore attracted attention in India, where the organisation has rejected allegations that it promotes religious discrimination. The possibility of dialogue with Bhagwat introduces a different dimension to the dispute. Rather than closing the door to engagement after its sanctions recommendation, Mahmood has indicated that direct discussions could potentially provide an opportunity to hear the RSS's position.

His statement that the commission could change its mind also leaves open the possibility that its assessment could evolve depending on evidence, engagement and developments concerning religious freedom. The comments are likely to be closely watched in India because they came only days after the USCIRF's call for sanctions against the RSS. Mahmood's willingness to engage does not amount to a withdrawal of the commission's recommendation, but it indicates that the panel remains open to discussion. By stressing that USCIRF's ultimate objective is to help people facing repression rather than punish organisations for its own sake, Mahmood sought to frame the commission's position as part of a broader effort to address religious freedom concerns.

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