The X account of the American Hindus for Engagement and Dialogue (AHEAD) Forum, the organisers of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat’s event in New York City, was briefly suspended amid a controversy surrounding the planned programme. Elon Musk-owned social media platform X later reinstated the account.

AHEAD Forum said its account was targeted by opponents who allegedly tried to manipulate X’s algorithm and have the handle blocked. The organisation announced that its account had been restored and thanked X Support for acting quickly.

“We are back up! We got “botted" by misguided opponents who tried to game the X algorithm and get our handle blocked. A big thank you to X Support for the prompt response, restoring our account and clearing out the bots. Now, back to what really matters: celebrating Universal Harmony and Universal Oneness Onwards!" AHEAD Forum wrote on X.

The suspension came as tensions continued over Bhagwat’s planned appearance at Madison Square Garden (MSG) in New York on August 29. New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani has publicly criticised the RSS and said he does not support the event. However, Mamdani also said that the city does not have the authority to cancel the programme.

Bhagwat arrived in the United States on Tuesday as part of the RSS’s global outreach programme marking its centenary year. His international tour also includes visits to Canada and the United Kingdom. The programme intends to reach out to the Indian diaspora and highlight the organisation’s centenary-year activities.

Mamdani has strongly opposed the RSS and its ideology. Speaking about his views, he said his family had taught him to see India as a pluralistic society and a secular republic. He said this was the India he grew up familiar with and one where every person, regardless of their background, had a place.

The New York mayor said his mother’s family continues to live in India. He identified himself as the first Indian-American mayor in New York City’s history and linked his opposition to the RSS to his understanding of India and his position as the city’s mayor.

Mamdani said it had been “incredibly troubling" to witness the rise of a movement that promotes what he described as an “exclusionary vision". He did not provide further details about the specific context of the observation.

The 34-year-old mayor said he was in “deep opposition" to the movement. He said his opposition came both from his identity as an Indian-American and from his role as mayor of a city that strongly supports the inclusion of people from all backgrounds.

He said New York City believes in the belonging of every person, irrespective of their colour, creed, religion, faith or place of origin. His comments came ahead of Bhagwat’s scheduled appearance at MSG, which has drawn criticism from several groups.

Mamdani is the son of Indian-origin filmmaker Mira Nair and Ugandan academic Mahmood Mamdani. He took office as New York City mayor in January.

Several interfaith and civil rights groups have also opposed Bhagwat’s planned appearance. Hindus for Human Rights, the Indian American Muslim Council (IMAC) and the Interfaith Centre of New York are among the organisations that have opposed the event. They have urged Madison Square Garden to cancel the programme.

The controversy over Bhagwat’s visit has therefore extended beyond the planned event itself. His appearance has triggered political criticism from the New York mayor and opposition from civil rights and interfaith organisations. The temporary suspension of the organisers’ X account has added another development to the ongoing dispute.

AHEAD Forum, however, said it has regained access to its account and plans to continue its activities surrounding the event. The organisation thanked X Support for restoring the account and removing what it described as bots targeting its handle. The event featuring Bhagwat remains scheduled for August 29 at Madison Square Garden.

RSS chief Bhagwat’s visit comes during the organisation’s centenary year, with his wider international tour covering the US, Canada and the UK. His New York programme has attracted significant attention as supporters and critics continue to express contrasting views about the RSS and its ideology.