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FIACONA condemns anti-Muslim float at India Day Parade in NY
The organization initiated an Open Letter, signed by over 300 clergy and lay leaders condemning religious persecution in India.
Protestors of the anti-Muslim float. / Courtesy of FIACONA
The Federation of Indian American Christian Organizations of North America (FIACONA) has expressed deep concern over the inclusion of an anti-Muslim float in the India Day Parade set for Aug. 18 in New York City.
FIACONA stated that the float, organized by the Vishwa Hindu Parishad of America (VHPA) in collaboration with the Indian Consulate, the Bochasanwasi Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha (BAPS), and the Federation of Indian Associations (FIA), starkly contradicts the values of inclusivity and respect that New York City and the state of New York stand for.
They stated that as Christians, they witnessed firsthand the violent scapegoating and targeting of thousands of churches, schools, and community-based social outreach ministries by organizations associated with the VHP and BAPS. These entities continue to operate with national impunity despite international condemnation.
The organization also commended Human Rights Watch for highlighting that the Indian government has not only failed to protect Muslims and other minorities from attacks but has also implemented laws and policies that systematically discriminate against Muslims and stigmatize critics of the government.
The statement added that as Christians, they have initiated an Open Letter, signed by over 300 clergy and lay leaders from various denominations and traditions, condemning religious persecution in India and the growing influence of Hindu supremacist religious nationalism in the U.S.
The message emphasized that as Christians, they feel a deep responsibility to speak prophetic truth to power, drawing from their experience of witnessing generations of burnings and bombings of churches by white supremacists, who often target African American congregations—sacred spaces that offer sanctuary and hope.
They expressed solidarity with Indigenous and Native peoples whose sacred sites have been repeatedly desecrated and appropriated in attempts to erase their spiritual traditions under the guise of religion.
FIACONA noted that the destruction of the Babri Mosque and the subsequent construction of the Ram Temple are further examples of such injustices, as they advance an ethnonational agenda that stands in stark contrast to the inclusive and diverse global community that New York City and its people strive to embody.
“To stand by as our Muslim siblings experience similar attempts at erasure in India and see it legitimate in the U.S. makes Christians complicit,” it said in a press release.
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