‘Don’t Insult India’: Kiren Rijiju’s Strong Warning After Tricolour Row At New York Protest
New Delhi: A protest outside New York’s Madison Square Garden has triggered a sharp political reaction in India after videos appeared to show protesters stepping on and tearing an Indian national flag.
Union Minister Kiren Rijiju strongly condemned the alleged incident and warned those involved that disrespecting India and the Tricolour would have serious consequences. Rijiju said people are free to criticise the RSS, BJP or the government, but that freedom does not extend to insulting the country or its national flag.
The protest took place on August 29, outside Madison Square Garden, where RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat was attending the Universal Oneness Celebration. The event was organised by American Hindus for Engagement and Dialogue (AHEAD) and drew thousands of Indian American attendees.
Videos circulating online and shared by Rijiju show protesters allegedly mistreating the Indian flag. One video appears to show a person walking on the Tricolour, while other footage reportedly shows a flag being torn. Protesters were also seen carrying Khalistan flags and raising pro Khalistan slogans. Reuters separately published an image showing a person walking on an Indian flag during the demonstration.
Reacting to the footage, Rijiju said criticism of political organisations and the government was part of democratic freedom, but added that protesters should not “abuse” India or insult its national symbols. He warned that such behaviour would “cost you very dearly.”
The protest was organised in opposition to Bhagwat and the RSS, whose presence in New York had already sparked controversy. Several groups criticised the event, arguing that the RSS does not represent all Hindus or the Indian American community. New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani had also publicly criticised the RSS’s ideology ahead of the programme, while acknowledging that the city could not cancel a private event.
Bhagwat, meanwhile, used his New York appearances to speak about unity, humanity and the responsibilities of Indians living abroad.
The flag controversy has now become one of the biggest talking points surrounding his US visit. However, while videos of the incident have widely circulated, the identities of the individuals shown in them and any confirmed legal action against them had not been established in the reports available as of August 31, 2026.
The episode has once again put the spotlight on the heated political debate surrounding the RSS, the Khalistan movement and the Indian diaspora in the United States.
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