New York, USA

An American Hindu organisation has complained that its annual India Day parade featuring a tableau of Ram Mandir, slated to be held in New York City, is attracting a lot of hate and bigotry on social media.  

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The Federation of Indian Associations NY-NJ-CT-NE in a statement said that the hate campaign led to the loss of sponsorships and fear-mongering among law-abiding citizens of the country.

India Parade will be held on August 18 in New York City, an annual event marking the country’s Independence Day (Aug 15).

“We find ourselves under heavy scrutiny for organizing a peaceful community celebration that our dedicated volunteers have worked tirelessly to prepare. This malicious and hate-filled scrutiny, spread on social media, has resulted in the loss of sponsorships–the lifeblood of our event–and in fear-mongering, causing law-abiding citizens to worry about potential unruly conduct due to the hateful messages circulating online,” the statement read.

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“Our inclusion of a float that celebrates the inauguration of a sacred landmark, significant to hundreds of millions of Hindus has been insulted by derogatory name calling and the officials and the mainstream is radio silent. I respectfully ask, would such name-calling be tolerated if directed at any other community’s place of worship? The answer is unequivocally no,” the statement added.

Notably, the Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC) had earlier criticised the event, especially for including a miniature of Ayodhya’s Ram Mandir in the celebrations. The IAMC described the move as a symbol of violence, historic injustice and religious intolerance.

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Not just that, the organisers of the India Day parade claimed they are also facing calls for an all-out ban on the event.

“For over four decades, the parade has been a celebration of community, growing due to its display of inclusion and diversity, allowing participants to display their expressions respectfully and peacefully without diminishing or disrespecting others. Despite our longstanding tradition of celebrating diversity, we are now the target of communal hate and bigotry. Efforts are being made to dissuade the Mayor’s and Governor’s offices from attending or supporting the celebration, and harmful rhetoric is being spread on social media platforms,” the statement added.

Also read: India: Schools in Haryana to replace ‘good morning,` `good afternoon` with ‘Jai Hind’ to inspire patriotism

“As we celebrate what we consider a vital aspect of our faith through the celebration of this landmark, we unequivocally reject violence and hate in any form, including any damage to any religion’s place of worship. We stand for peaceful coexistence and encourage everyone to embrace this value,” said Ankur Vaidya, chairperson of the Federation Of Indian Associations (FIA).

The organisers have now urged Indian nationals and Indian-origin Americans to participate in the event to uphold the values of mutual respect.

(With inputs from agencies)