Indian American Muslim group cancels parade participation amid float controversy

(CNN) — A group representing Indian American Muslims has withdrawn its float from New York City’s annual India Day Parade on Sunday following controversy over the inclusion of a float they say shows anti-Muslim bias.

Imtiaz Siamwalla, the president of Indian Muslims of North America sent a letter to parade organizers Saturday, notifying them of the decision.

“It is with a heavy heart that we find ourselves compelled to withdraw our float since the integrity of the parade has been called into the question,” the group wrote.

Siamwalla told CNN the group intended to join the annual celebration along Madison Avenue in Manhattan but decided to rescind its participation after failing to convince parade organizers to not include the controversial float.

The float in question was announced several days prior to the parade and depicts a replica of Ram Janmabhoomi Mandir – a Hindu temple built on top of the ruins of a 16th century Babri mosque, which was destroyed by Hindu nationalists in 1992. The destruction of the mosque triggered riots across the country in which more than 2,000 people were killed, CNN previously reported.

“We were very much looking forward to participating but learning that there is going to be a float that has a replica of the Ram temple, we think that this is a symbol of bias against Muslims,” Siamwalla said.

“The politics that take place in India should stay in India,” he added. “Once you come to this county you become an American and America is the land of tolerance of inclusion. So, this float should have never been a part of the parade.”

“When the mob broke down the mosque back in 1992, people lost their lives, their belongings, that was not something that Muslims took lightly,” Siamwalla said.

It’s not just Indian Muslims who are speaking out against the inclusion of the float. Ajit Sahi, advocacy director for the Indian American Muslim Council, said parade organizers are allowing Hindu extremist ideology to taint what is supposed to be a celebration of independence and secularism.

“I am a Hindu and from the bottom of my heart, I reject Hindu fundamentalism and Hindu extremism,” Sahi said.

“There are Hindus in the United States and in India who oppose this temple and the politics that it brings this temple is politics. This temple is not culture, this temple is not faith,” Sahi added.

The Indian Muslims of North America float had been originally designed to showcase “the accomplishments of Muslims,” according to Siamwalla, who said the group planned on displaying photos of prominent Muslims in India’s history and placards reading slogans such as “Proud to be Indian, Proud to be Muslim,” and “Inclusion, Equality, Unity: Muslims make India stronger.”

Siamwalla said the Ram Mandir float is political symbolism meant to intimidate Muslims in attendance at Sunday’s parade.

“They want to show the minorities – look what we did in our country we can do it here too, this is all for intimidation,” Siamwalla said.

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, the Associated Press previously reported.

Other groups have called on parade organizers to not allow the float in Sunday’s parade, saying it’s an overt politicization of an event meant to celebrate Indian people, not their politics.

New York City Mayor Eric Adams, who has marched in the parade in previous years is expected to sit out this year’s celebration. Adams was critical of the float’s inclusion in the parade during an unrelated press conference last week.

“No one should be using any anti conversations in marching in these parades,” Adams said. “If there is a float or a person in the parade that is promoting hate, they should not.”

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