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Correspondent

21 August 2024 at 3:50:16 pm

Real Fascism

The systematic attempt by sections of the so-called ‘left liberal’ elite in the Western, in alliance with Islamic outfits, to suppress RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat’s address at Madison Square Garden exposes the performative nature of Western ‘free speech’ discourse. For decades, Western institutions have preached pluralism, yet the moment when the head of a major Hindu civilisational organisation seeks to engage with its diaspora, the entire apparatus of Western left-liberal and activist networks...

Real Fascism

The systematic attempt by sections of the so-called ‘left liberal’ elite in the Western, in alliance with Islamic outfits, to suppress RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat’s address at Madison Square Garden exposes the performative nature of Western ‘free speech’ discourse. For decades, Western institutions have preached pluralism, yet the moment when the head of a major Hindu civilisational organisation seeks to engage with its diaspora, the entire apparatus of Western left-liberal and activist networks mobilizes to enforce ideological censorship while working itself to a frenzy in conjuring the bogey of ‘saffron terror.’ Western democracies have positioned themselves ad nauseam as the ultimate guardians of open dialogue and pluralism, championing free speech as a non-negotiable cornerstone of human rights. This commitment routinely falters when applied to perspectives that challenge Western liberal orthodoxy or the interests of established political blocs. The coordinated opposition against Bhagwat’s international engagements by coalitions of left-liberal political groups and Islamist organizations exposes a selective framework where democratic rights are treated as privileges reserved exclusively for specific ideologies The coordinate suppression of American Hindus for Engagement and Dialogue (AHEAD), whose X account was targeted and temporarily taken down via automated abuse, is a case study in such censorship. The political manoeuvres around Bhagwat’s event highlight the stark double standards of figures like New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani, who has consistently targeted democratic Hindu institutions with labels like “fascist” and “exclusionary” while maintaining a notable silence when radical or anti-Hindu rhetoric emerges from political allies or interfaith gatherings. When figures like Mamdani and various Western activist coalitions mobilize to delegitimize Hindu gatherings, they demonstrate that their allegiance is not to universal free expression, but to an ideological gatekeeping that brooks no genuine pluralism. The same Western activist networks and academic institutions frequently platform, tolerate or explicitly defend radical Islamist movements, framing their rhetoric under the umbrella of “anti-imperialism” or protecting “minority expression.” Bodies such as the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), led by figures like the Pakistani Asif Mahmood, routinely weaponize human rights reporting against India and Hindu organizations, operating with an institutional bias and a complete lack of credibility. While Western cities regularly host extremist ideologues, controversial political dissidents and radical preachers under the banner of broad constitutional protections, Hindu civil society groups are met with security threats, algorithmic botting and open political hostility. This convergence of Western left-liberal political networks and Islamist advocacy groups functions as a cartel of speech control. They embrace free expression only when it serves as a vehicle for their own ideological hegemony. It seems the real fascism of our era does not march in uniform but speaks in the language of Western liberalism, operates through algorithmic suppression and brooks absolutely no dissent.

US Vice President JD Vance, his family arrive in Delhi

  • PTI
  • Apr 21, 2025
  • 2 min read


NEW DELHI: US Vice President J D Vance arrived here on Monday on a four-day visit to India against the backdrop of ongoing negotiations for a bilateral trade agreement between the two strategic partners to address a variety of issues, including tariff and market access.


Vance is accompanied by his Indian-origin wife Usha Chilukuri and their three children Ewan, Vivek, Mirabel and a delegation of senior US government officials.


The US Vice President and the Second Lady were received at the Palam air base by Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw.


The American leader was also accorded a ceremonial welcome on his arrival.

In the evening, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will host a dinner for the Vances after holding wide-ranging talks with the US Vice President.


External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, NSA Ajit Doval, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri and Indian ambassador to US Vinay Mohan Kwatra are expected to be part of the Indian team to be led by PM Modi at the talks.


The focus of the meeting is likely to be on early finalisation of the proposed bilateral trade pact as well as ways to boost overall trajectory of ties between the two countries.


Besides Delhi, Vance and his family will travel to Jaipur and Agra.

Vance's first visit to India comes weeks after US President Donald Trump imposed and then paused a sweeping tariff regime against around 60 countries, including India.


New Delhi and Washington are now holding negotiations to seal a bilateral trade agreement that is expected to address a variety of issues, including tariff and market access.


Vance and his family are scheduled to leave for Jaipur on Monday night.

In Delhi, the US Vice President and his family are staying at the ITC Maurya Sheraton hotel.


On April 22, the Vances will visit a number of historical sites in Jaipur, including the Amer Fort, also known as Amber Fort. The fort is a UNESCO world heritage site.


In the afternoon, the US Vice President is scheduled to address a gathering at the Rajasthan International Centre in Jaipur.


Vance is expected to delved into broader aspects of India-US relations under the Donald Trump administration during his speech that is expected to be attended by diplomats, foreign policy experts, Indian government officials and academia.


The US Vice President and his family will travel to Agra on the morning of April 23, people familiar with the matter said.


In Agra, they will visit the Taj Mahal and Shilpgram which is an open air emporium showcasing various Indian artefacts, they said.


After concluding their visit to Agra, the Vances will return to Jaipur on the second half of April 23.


The US Vice President and his family will depart for the US from Jaipur on April 24, according to the people cited above.

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