By Sarah Salvadore / Patch

EDISON, NJ — The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC) on Monday condemned the display of a Hindu nationalist group flag during the India Day Parade in Edison, calling it “hateful.”

During the Indian Day Parade in Edison on Sunday, some attendees displayed flags of the Hindu right-wing group Bajrang Dal. The group was not authorized to participate in the parade and the IAMC said they were there to intimidate the Muslim attendees.

In 2018, the CIA categorized the Bajrang Dal as a “religious militant organization” in its World Factbook. In India, the Hindu nationalist group has a long history of violence and often engages in vigilante violence against minority groups.

On Sunday, the individuals waved the Bajrang Dal flag in front of Indian Muslims who were participating in the parade. Edison police immediately intervened, asking them to leave.

“Waving a Bajrang Dal flag at an Indian Independence Day parade is just like waving a KKK flag on July 4th: absolutely unacceptable,” IAMC New Jersey Vice President Niyaz Khan said.

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