'We Got Botted': X Account Of Mohan Bhagwat Event Organisers In New York Restored

AHEAD Forum, the organisation hosting RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat's upcoming event in New York, has said its X account has been restored after it was temporarily suspended. In a post announcing the restoration, the forum claimed opponents had “botted” its account in an attempt to manipulate the platform's algorithm and get its handle blocked.

AHEAD thanked X and its support team for acting promptly, saying the bots had been cleared. The development comes days before Bhagwat is scheduled to address a gathering at Madison Square Garden on August 29. “We are back up!” AHEAD Forum said in its post on X.

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… The organisation said it had been “botted” by what it described as “misguided opponents” who tried to “game the X algorithm and get our handle blocked”.

AHEAD thanked X and 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,” the forum said, adding, “Onwards!” Bhagwat arrived in the US on Tuesday as part of the RSS' centenary-year global outreach programme.

He is scheduled to participate in the Universal Oneness programme and address a gathering at the Infosys Theater at Madison Square Garden on August 29. The RSS has defended the event amid criticism over Bhagwat's participation.

Senior RSS functionary Sunil Ambekar said the gathering had been organised in the spirit of open dialogue and mutual respect. Ambekar described it as an interfaith gathering involving a diverse, multicultural and multi-faith audience.

He also invited those interested in understanding the RSS' vision and philosophy to participate. New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani had earlier said he does not support Bhagwat's appearance at Madison Square Garden. However, he acknowledged that the city may not have jurisdiction to cancel the privately organised event.

American singer Mary Millben, meanwhile, criticised Mamdani over his opposition to the programme. American Hindus for Engagement and Dialogue, or AHEAD Forum, describes itself as a non-profit organisation dedicated to advancing understanding, civic engagement and cooperation across communities in the United States.

The organisation says it promotes dialogue and interfaith engagement through cultural programmes and interactions with community and interfaith leaders. It has organised the Universal Oneness Celebration in New York, featuring Bhagwat as its principal speaker.

The event is centred on the message that “the world is one family” and calls for greater mutual respect, harmony and unity.