NEW YORK — A float in the India Day Parade in New York on Sunday, which pays tribute to a Hindu temple built over a destroyed mosque in India, has been criticized as anti-Islamic.

The Indian American Muslim Council and other religious groups called on parade organizers to remove a float depicting the Ram Mandir because the temple is seen in the South Asian country as a symbol of glorifying the destruction of mosques and violence against Muslims.

About 80 percent of India’s population is Hindu, but the country is also home to about 200 million Muslims who are often the target of attacks by Hindu nationalists.

“This float represents these groups’ desire to blend Hindu nationalist ideology with Indian identity,” the organization and others wrote in a letter addressed to New York Governor Kathy Hochul and New York City Mayor Eric Adams earlier this month. “This is not just a cultural display, but a vulgar celebration of anti-Muslim heat, bigotry and religious superiority.”

Parade organizers have rejected calls to remove the float, saying it was a celebration to mark the inauguration of a sacred landmark that is of great importance to hundreds of millions of Hindus.

“By celebrating this milestone, we celebrate an aspect of our faith that we consider essential. At the same time, we strongly reject violence and hatred in any form, including the vandalism of religious places of worship,” Ankur Vaidya, chairman of the Federation of Indian Associations, which is organizing the event, said in a statement. “We stand for peaceful coexistence and encourage everyone to embrace this value.”

The association describes the parade as a celebration of the “rich diversity of Indian culture.” Over the years, the parade has included not only Hindus, but also Muslim, Sikh and Christian faiths.

Vaidya also mentioned in his statement that the motto of this year’s parade is ‘Vasudev Kutumbakam’, a Sanskrit phrase meaning ‘The world is one family’.

Now in its 42nd year, the event is one of the largest of its kind outside India. Tens of thousands of people flock to a lavish celebration along Manhattan’s Madison Avenue to watch Bollywood stars and Indian sports stars. The annual parade marks the end of British rule and the founding of an independent India on August 15, 1947.

The Ram Mandir was built in 2020 after a lengthy legal battle in India’s holy city of Ayodhya.

The temple was built on the ruins of the 16th-century Babri Mosque, which was destroyed by Hindu nationalist mobs in 1992.

The ornate pink sandstone structure cost an estimated $217 million and is dedicated to Ram, a god who, according to Hindu belief, was born at this place.

Spokesmen for Hochul did not immediately respond to emails seeking comment Thursday.

But when asked about the controversy at City Hall on Tuesday, Adams said there was “no place for hate” in New York, saying the city of over 247,000 people is home to the largest Indian-American population in the country.

“I want to send the right symbolic gesture that the city is open to everyone and there is no place for hate,” the Democrat said. “If there is a float or a person in the parade that promotes hate, that should not be the case.”

In a follow-up email late Thursday, Adams’ office said the mayor had no plans to participate in Sunday’s parade, although he has participated in past years.

It also pointed out that the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution prohibits the city from denying a permit or requiring that the message of a float or parade be changed simply because it does not match the content.

“From day one, the Mayor has made it clear that celebrations in our city should be welcoming and inclusive,” the office wrote. “The Mayor has always put community first, emphasizing that when we come together as one, we practice respect and grace, put politics aside, and embrace the rich melting pot that is New York City.”

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Follow Philip Marcelo on twitter.com/philmarcelo.