Washington: A group of supporters of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) has registered with the US Department of Justice under the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA) to strengthen the organisation’s outreach in the United States. According to the registration documents, the group, named RSS Friends, has identified the RSS headquarters at Keshav Kunj in New Delhi as its foreign principal. The organisation said its activities will primarily focus on public education, community engagement, public relations, and sharing information about the RSS.

RSS Friends stated that it does not have a formal written employment, lobbying, consulting, or public relations agreement with the RSS. However, it clarified that the absence of a written contract should not be interpreted as the absence of coordination or an existing relationship. The group said it plans to communicate with journalists, media organisations, researchers, academic institutions, community leaders, civil society groups, and, where appropriate, government agencies to present what it describes as accurate information and respond to claims it believes are incomplete or misleading.

The registration lists Rajendra Sonarikar, Jayant Pant, and Devananda Gaddam as members of the group’s Board of Directors. The filing was submitted two days before RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat’s “Universal Oneness Celebration” event at New York’s Madison Square Garden. RSS Friends said it intends to organise educational, cultural, and informational events while engaging with policymakers and public institutions, where appropriate, to present factual perspectives about the RSS and its stated objectives, in accordance with US law.