Mary Millben slams Zohran Mamdani over RSS chief's MSG event
Synopsis
Hollywood singer Mary Millben has entered the controversy over RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat’s 29 August Madison Square Garden event, publicly calling out NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani and a coalition of 61 organisations opposing it. Her X post frames the dispute as capitalism versus socialism — an unusual framing that has amplified an already politically charged transatlantic debate.
Key Takeaways
Mary Millben , 41, publicly rebuked NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani on 26 August over his opposition to the RSS chief’s MSG event .
Millben posted her remarks on X , calling critics ‘socialist nuts’ and arguing MSG operates on capitalist, not political, principles.
Mamdani said on 25 August he does not support the rally but acknowledged the city may lack jurisdiction to cancel a private event.
A coalition of 61 organisations has pressed Madison Square Garden to cancel the 29 August gathering.
RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat is scheduled to speak at the Universal Oneness Celebration , which coincides with Raksha Bandhan .
Organisers describe it as one of the largest Hindu community gatherings ever held in the United States.
African-American singer and actress Mary Millben on Wednesday, 26 August publicly rebuked New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani and other critics opposing the Madison Square Garden (MSG) event featuring Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat, scheduled for 29 August in New York City. Millben, who posted her remarks on X, argued that opposition to the event was rooted in hostility toward Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) rather than any principled civic concern.
Millben's Direct Rebuke on X
Posting on X, Millben wrote: “Mamdani and all these socialist nuts are opposing the Madison Square Garden (MSG) event featuring Mohan Bhagwat because they oppose PM Narendra Modi and the BJP. That’s pretty clear. Given these nuts subscribe to the ideology of socialism, they don’t understand capitalism. MSG doesn’t answer to socialist rants. They answer to capitalism. And thus this event will go on because of it.”
She further advised Mamdani and “his choir of socialists” to raise funds independently and rent MSG for their own rally. “Become capitalists, raise money, rent MSG, and host your own rally for all your anti-Modi foolishness,” she added, while also expressing support for the event’s central theme: “I like the rally title. ‘Oneness’. We are ONE family. I hope this rally includes meaningful dialogue on religious freedom in India.”
Mamdani’s Position and the Coalition Pressure
Millben’s remarks followed a statement by Mayor Mamdani on Tuesday, 25 August, in which he told reporters he does not support the RSS chief’s event but acknowledged the city’s limited authority over it. “I don’t support the rally, but I don’t know if the city has any jurisdiction on cancelling a private event,” Mamdani said.
His remarks came after a coalition of 61 civil rights, faith, community and advocacy organisations wrote to Madison Square Garden urging cancellation of the 29 August gathering. The coalition’s campaign has drawn attention to the event’s significance for both supporters and critics of the RSS in the United States.
About the Event and Bhagwat’s Visit
RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat arrived in the United States recently to participate in what organisers have described as one of the largest and most diverse Hindu community gatherings held in the country. Billed as the “Universal Oneness Celebration,” the event on 29 August coincides with the Hindu festival of Raksha Bandhan.
Organisers say the gathering will promote unity, civic responsibility, and global harmony, urging participants to “look beyond divisions, recognise the bonds connecting humanity and embrace mutual respect, harmony and oneness.” The event also aims to highlight the growing role of Hindu Americans in public life, including their contributions to education, healthcare, business, public service, and civic engagement.
Who Is Mary Millben
The 41-year-old Hollywood actress and singer is widely recognised in India for her renditions of the national anthem ‘Jana Gana Mana’ and the devotional hymn ‘Om Jai Jagdiseh Hare.’ Her vocal support for the MSG event adds a prominent American cultural voice to a debate that has increasingly taken on political dimensions in New York City.
With the event days away, the standoff between its organisers and the coalition of opposing groups is unlikely to be resolved before 29 August, when Bhagwat is scheduled to speak at the Manhattan venue.
Point of View
But I’m not sure we can cancel it’ — reveals the limits of political grandstanding against a private commercial venue. Millben’s intervention, framed as a capitalism-versus-socialism argument, is rhetorically sharp but sidesteps the substantive concerns raised by the 61-organisation coalition. What the mainstream coverage misses is that MSG’s silence is itself the loudest signal: commercial venues rarely yield to political pressure without a legal hook, and none appears to exist here.
NationPress
26 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did Mary Millben criticise Zohran Mamdani?
Mary Millben criticised NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani for opposing the RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat’s Madison Square Garden event scheduled for 29 August. In a post on X, she argued that the opposition was driven by hostility toward PM Narendra Modi and the BJP rather than any principled civic concern.
What is the Universal Oneness Celebration at MSG?
The Universal Oneness Celebration is a Hindu community gathering at Madison Square Garden in New York City on 29 August, featuring RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat as a speaker. Organisers describe it as one of the largest and most diverse Hindu American gatherings ever held in the United States, coinciding with the festival of Raksha Bandhan.
What did Zohran Mamdani say about the RSS event?
Mayor Mamdani told reporters on 25 August that he does not support the rally but acknowledged uncertainty over whether the city has jurisdiction to cancel a private event. His statement came after a coalition of 61 organisations urged Madison Square Garden to cancel the gathering.
Who is Mary Millben and why does she have a following in India?
Mary Millben is a 41-year-old African-American Hollywood actress and singer, widely recognised in India for her renditions of the national anthem ‘Jana Gana Mana’ and the devotional hymn ‘Om Jai Jagdiseh Hare.’ Her cultural ties to India have given her a significant following there.
Can New York City legally cancel the Bhagwat MSG event?
Mayor Mamdani himself indicated doubt about the city’s authority, saying he does not know if the city has jurisdiction to cancel a private event. As of 26 August, no legal mechanism to block the 29 August gathering had been publicly identified.
