A planned float in NYC’s India Day Parade is anti-Muslim and should be removed, opponents say

NEW YORK (AP) — A float in Sunday’s upcoming India Day Parade in New York City that celebrates a Hindu temple built over a razed mosque in India is being criticized as anti-Muslim.

The Indian American Muslim Council and other faith-based groups have called on parade organizers to remove a float featuring the Ram Mandir, saying the temple is considered a symbol glorifying the destruction of mosques and violence against Muslims in the South Asian nation.

Hindus make up about 80% of India’s population, but the country is also home to about 200 million Muslims who have frequently come under attack by Hindu nationalists.

“This float presence represents these groups’ desire to conflate Hindu nationalist ideology with Indian identity,” the organization and others wrote in a letter earlier this month addressed to New York Gov. Kathy Hochul and New York City Mayor Eric Adams. “This is not merely a cultural display, but a vulgar celebration of anti-Muslim heat, bigotry, and religious supremacy.”

Parade organizers have rejected calls to remove the float, saying it celebrates the inauguration of a sacred landmark that is significant to hundreds of millions of Hindus.

“As we celebrate what we consider a vital aspect of our faith through the celebration of the landmark, we unequivocally reject violence and hate in any form, including any damage to any religious place of worship,” Ankur Vaidya, chairman of the Federation of Indian Associations, which is organizing the event, said in a statement. “We stand for peaceful coexistence and encourage everyone to embrace this value.”

The association bills the parade as a celebration of the “rich tapestry of India’s cultural diversity,” with floats representing not just Hindu but Muslim, Sikh and Christian faiths participating over the years.

Vaidya also noted in his statement that the theme for this year’s parade is “Vasudev Kutumbakam,” a Sanskrit phrase that translates to “the world is one family.”

Now in its 42nd year, the event is among the largest of its kind outside of India, with tens of thousands of people turning out to see Bollywood celebrities and Indian sports stars in a rolling celebration along Manhattan’s Madison Avenue. The annual parade marks the end of British rule and the establishment of an independent India on Aug. 15, 1947.

The Ram Mandir broke ground in 2020 following a protracted legal battle in India’s holy city of Ayodhya.

The temple was built atop the ruins of the 16th-century Babri mosque, which was destroyed by Hindu nationalist mobs in 1992.

The ornate, pink sandstone structure cost an estimated $217 million and is dedicated to Ram, a god who Hindus believe was born at the site.

Spokespersons for Hochul didn’t immediately respond to emails seeking comment Thursday.

But when asked about the controversy Tuesday at City Hall, Adams said there’s “no room for hate” in New York, which his office said is home to the nation’s largest Indian American population, with more than 247,000 residents.

“I want to send the right symbolic gesture that the city’s open to everyone and there’s no room for hate,” the Democrat said. “If there is a float or a person in the parade that’s promoting hate, they should not.”

In a follow-up email late Thursday, Adams’ office said the mayor has no plans to attend Sunday’s parade, which he has attended in years past.

It also noted that the U.S. Constitution’s First Amendment prevents the city from denying a permit or requiring that a float or parade’s message be changed simply because it does not agree with the content.

“From day one, the mayor has been clear that celebrations in our city should be welcoming and inclusive,” the office wrote. “The mayor has always centered communities first, emphasizing that when we come together as one, we practice respect and grace, set politics aside, and embrace the rich melting pot that is New York City.”

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Follow Philip Marcelo at twitter.com/philmarcelo.