Muslims, Hindus clash over India Day parade in NYC

A Muslim civil rights organization pushed to have a Hindu float removed from Sunday’s India Day Parade in New York for featuring a Hindu temple. The Indian American Muslim Council co-signed a letter along with other groups petitioning New York Gov. Kathy Hochul and New York City Mayor Eric Adams to remove the float from the parade. The float emboldens Hindu extremists and glorifies hate and discrimination against Muslims, the letter claimed.

Why do some Muslims believe the float is hateful? A float by the Vishwa Hindu Parishad of America featured a model of the Ram Mandir temple in northern India, believed to be the birthplace of the Hindu god Rama. The Babri mosque sat on the temple’s land before thousands of Hindus tore it down in 1992.

The Federation of Indian Associations, or FIA, organized the parade and gave a press conference days after the letter was sent. The parade is an inclusive celebration representing India’s cultural diversity with floats from Hindu, Muslim, Sikh, and Christian faiths, FIA President Avinash Gupta said. Mayor Adams replied to press questions about the float during a press conference days before the event. New York is open to everyone and there’s no room for hate, he said. If a float or person in the parade is promoting hate, they shouldn't, Adams added.

The Hindu American Foundation penned a letter to Adams thanking him for protecting Hindu’s rights to free expression and assembly. The group accused Muslims of distorting the site’s history, noting that Hindus recognized the land as Rama’s sacred birthplace long before the 16th-century mosque was built.

The controversial float remained in Sunday’s parade without issue.

Dig deeper: Read Onize Ohikere’s report on mounting tensions between Hindus and Muslims in India.