When Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh chief Dr. Mohan Bhagwat addressed roughly 5,000 people at Madison Square Garden on Aug. 29, his opponents had already mobilized against his appearance.

The Raksha Bandhan-inspired Universal Oneness Celebration brought together leaders from 16 faith and wisdom traditions. Bhagwat described diversity as the decoration of unity and urged Hindu Americans to remain loyal to the United States (their karma bhumi) — while exuding the values of their matru bhumi, or motherland.