"Will Cost You Dearly": Kiren Rijiju Warns Protesters Who Stepped On National Flag In New York

New Delhi: Union Minister Kiren Rijiju has given a strong warning to protesters and Khalistani supporters who put their feet on the Indian national flag and tore it outside New York's Madison Square Garden on Saturday, when people had gathered there to hear RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat's address.The Union minister in a post on X said that political disagreement is fine but insulting the nation is unacceptable."We always said you have the freedom to criticise the RSS, BJP or government, but don't abuse our nation. Listen carefully, don't insult our flag and my country. It will cost you very dearly," Rijiju said in the post.He shared the message along with a video showing a man waving his foot, the national flag tied around it. Other protesters shouted slogans commonly used by Khalistani supporters. In front of dozens of cameras, they also tore the national flag and laughed, while the local police looked on.Many on social media appealed to the authorities in the US to identify the protesters and check their antecedents. They also asked the Centre to see whether any of the protesters were Indian citizens who could be made to face the law back home.The ruckus happened while the BJP's ideological mentor RSS, as part of its centenary year, was celebrating the milestone with its supporters. Bhagwat addressed the gathering as part of a global tour that included the US, Canada and the UK.During his address, Bhagwat asked the Indian community to remain completely loyal to their current country of residence, calling it their "Karma Bhumi", while also remembering India as their "Janma Bhumi.""What is our duty? We are in America, we live in America, we earn in America. So we are American. And we should behave true to America," Bhagwat said at the event. "The diaspora, Bharatiya diaspora, have a duty to their karma bhumi. They must fulfil that. They should be loyal to their karma bhumi," he said.The RSS chief called on Hindus in different countries to create communities that could serve as examples of meaningful and responsible living, adding material achievement alone could not define a worthwhile life."Mere successful life is not sufficient... Love for humanity must guide conduct... We are all one. Our interests cannot collide. Because we are one, we have to act as we are one. We have to think of others," he said.The RSS was founded in Nagpur in 1925 by Keshav Baliram Hedgewar. The organisation marked its centenary in 2025 and describes character-building, social organisation and service as central to its work. Bhagwat has served as the RSS chief since 2009.