The apology came after officials in Edison promised accountability and action
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The Indian Business Association (IBA), organizers of the India Independence Day parade in Edison have apologized for including a bulldozer in the celebration, calling it a “divisive image,” according to a report in Patch. The apology came after officials in Edison promised accountability and action.
In a letter addressed to the mayors of Edison and Woodbridge, the IBA acknowledged that certain aspects of the event offended the Indian American minority community, especially Muslims.
“Unfortunately there was a bulldozer among the floats in the parade which is a divisive image that did not reflect our mission. It was seen quite negatively by many who are deeply impacted and insulted by certain activities that have been happening in India. Many who participated in or watched the parade or heard about the activities from social media accounts were offended by this symbol and by comments made by our guest speakers and that was not our intention,” the group said in their letter.
“Our parade should never be about politics and should never include these blatant divisive symbols. Our parade should recognize us as South Asians living in two of the best towns in the country,” the IBA said.
The New Jersey chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-NJ) acknowledged the apology.
In a statement, CAIR-NJ Executive Director Selaedin Maksut said: “We recognize IBA’S apology acknowledges its own wrongdoing, which is a necessary step toward making future parades representative of the Indian diaspora, including Muslims, Christians, Sikhs, Dalits, and Tribals
The apology also stated: “We are writing to offer our sincere apologies for certain aspects of our 2022 Indian Independence Day parade that reflected poorly on our organization and offended the Indian American minority groups, especially Muslims, from the local area and across the State and Country.”
“We hereby make the commitment that we will not allow these symbols in the future and that we will work with all different groups of South Asian heritage to make sure that our parade remains the best in the State of New Jersey.”
In a statement, CAIR-NJ Executive Director Selaedin Maksut said: “We recognize IBA’S apology acknowledges its own wrongdoing, which is a necessary step toward making future parades representative of the Indian diaspora, including Muslims, Christians, Sikhs, Dalits, and Tribals.
“We agree that future parades cannot include blatantly divisive symbols and guest speakers and should never be about politics. Such hatred cannot be tolerated. Instead, the parade should celebrate India’s independence and rich culture and diversity.
“We applaud Mayor McCormac for taking our community’s concerns seriously and for calling on the IBA to issue this public apology. The bulldozer is a symbol of intimidation and support for the oppression of minorities in India. Such hateful symbols have no place on our streets.
“Mayor McCormac expressed desire to establish an advisory committee with the objective to ensure that the IBA’s stated commitment is maintained. This effort meets the need for accountability, going beyond acknowledgment.”
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