NYC India Day Parade Sparks Controversy Over Ram Mandir Float

The India Day parade in New York City, a renowned annual event celebrating Indian democracy and the diaspora’s diversity, has become a source of controversy this year. The parade, scheduled for Sunday, August 18, is the largest of its kind outside India, typically featuring grand marshals, often Bollywood stars, leading the procession down Madison Avenue. This year, the theme is “Vasudhaiva Katumbakum,” which means “the world is one family” in Sanskrit.

Avinash Gupta, president of the parade’s organizing body, the Federation of Indian Associations (FIA), emphasized that the parade is meant to celebrate the unity and inclusiveness of India. “We celebrate our unity in diversity, and we celebrate inclusiveness—that’s our India,” Gupta stated. He further explained that the event is a tribute to all Indians, regardless of their regional, linguistic, or religious backgrounds, marking the 78th anniversary of India’s independence from British rule. It also highlights the achievements of the Indian diaspora in fields like science, technology, and politics.

Gupta, who is Hindu, celebrated India’s Independence Day on Thursday, August 15, by hoisting the Indian flag in Times Square alongside individuals of different faiths, including Muslims, Sikhs, and Christians. However, this year’s parade has drawn criticism due to a float that features an 18-foot-long statue of the Hindu deity Ram and a replica of the newly constructed Ram Mandir in Ayodhya, India. Critics argue that the float represents anti-Muslim sentiment and distorts the values of Indian culture and Hinduism.

The Ram Mandir, which opened earlier this year, was built on the site where a 16th-century mosque was demolished in 1992 by a Hindu extremist mob. The mosque’s destruction, based on claims that it was built on the birthplace of Lord Ram, led to deadly riots across India, killing over 2,000 people, primarily Muslims. After years of legal disputes, India’s Supreme Court ruled in 2019 that the temple could be constructed on the site.

While many Hindus view the temple as a long-overdue homecoming for Lord Ram and a rejection of past Islamic rule, others see it as a symbol of Hindu exclusivism, reminding them of the deep divisions it exacerbated between Hindus and Muslims. David Kalal, communications director for Hindus for Human Rights, expressed his concerns at a press conference, stating, “The inclusion of the Ram Mandir float in this year’s parade is not a celebration of cultural pride, but a glorification of both a violent history and a violent ambition.” Kalal also noted that the debates within the Indian American community have broader implications for American society, given the growing political influence of Indian Americans.

On Wednesday, August 14, various faith-based organizations, including Hindus for Human Rights, the Indian American Muslim Council, the Council on American-Islamic Relations, and the New York State Council of Churches, held a press conference outside City Hall to denounce the float and called for its removal. Over 20 groups signed a letter addressed to Mayor Eric Adams and Governor Kathy Hochul, arguing that the parade’s sponsors, the Hindu nationalist group Vishwa Hindu Parishad of America and the Hindu denomination BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha, intended to use the event to spread fear among American Muslims. Mayor Adams responded by saying, “If there is a float or a person in the parade that is promoting hate, they should not [be there].”

In contrast, the Hindu American Foundation, the largest Hindu advocacy group in the U.S., defended the float in a letter to Mayor Adams on Friday, August 16. The letter urged the mayor to “support freedom of expression” and allow the float’s inclusion, arguing that the common narratives surrounding the mosque dispute lack historical context.

Gupta noted that no city officials or law enforcement agencies had contacted the FIA to request the float’s removal. To him, the float is merely a proud tribute to the temple. “There are a lot of people here who cannot go to India to visit the temple because of their age, because they have medical conditions, or they simply cannot afford to go, so this will be a good opportunity for them to see the replica of the mandir, which was built after a 500-year wait,” Gupta explained.

While the Ram float will remain in the parade, Gupta does not want it to overshadow the entire event, which also features floats from Muslim, Sikh, and Christian Indian organizations. He hopes that non-Indians will view the parade as a celebration of the diaspora’s growing influence, which now numbers over 5.4 million people. “I feel very proud that we collect, we gather, we bring together all of the Indian diaspora, of all states, all faiths, all religions, and we march together,” Gupta said. “We all have to be united, and that way, we’ll have our voice heard.”

The Rev. Chloe Breyer of the Interfaith Center of New York, a well-established organization that collaborates with various faith groups in the city, acknowledged the complexity of the situation. She recognized “the deep ties between Hindu New Yorkers and the sacred geography of India” and affirmed the group’s right to religious freedom. However, she also noted that the float seemed less about religious freedom and more about “religious boasting,” which she believes contradicts the very values being celebrated. In a statement issued on August 12, Breyer and the Interfaith Center urged the parade organizers to be more aware of the current religious dynamics in the U.S. and abroad.

“That question of this contested site is not one that a press conference is going to solve, and it’s not one I’m going to solve,” Breyer remarked. “However, if you’re in New York City and you’re having a parade to celebrate your heritage, I would just say, know your people and know your context. Your neighbors are some Hindus and some not Hindus.”

Uma Mysorekar, president of the Hindu Temple Society of North America in Flushing, Queens, and a partner of the Interfaith Center, expressed concern that the controversy surrounding the float was casting Hindus in an intolerant light, which she believes undermines the purpose of an Independence Day parade. Describing herself as “a very religious person,” Mysorekar said she understands why many Hindu Americans take pride in the float. However, she also acknowledged that the timing of the float’s inclusion might be “adding more fuel to the fire,” given that the temple was completed less than a year ago. She believes that there are “so many other ways” to represent India’s rich and diverse culture. In private conversations, Mysorekar noted that many Hindus attending the parade share her concerns.

“Indian Independence Day has nothing to do with religion,” Mysorekar emphasized. “Independent India consists of all kinds of people, and we represent the beliefs and thoughts of everybody. … I think we must respect that and uphold India’s integrity. That’s really important.”