Twenty United States organisations and several citizens have opposed the display of 3D portraits of the Ram Temple and images of the Hindu deity in the Times Square on August 5, when the ground breaking ceremony of the temple takes place in Ayodhya. 

In the collective letter written to New York Mayor Bill de Blasio, they said, “We write to bring to your attention an Islamophobic billboard set to be projected in Times Square in order to dehumanize Muslim New Yorkers and celebrate human rights abuses against Muslims in India.” 

The signatories which include Hindus for Human Rights and Coalition Against Fascism in India, added, “Our coalition stands opposed to the far-right Hindutva nationalism of the BJP [Bharatiya Janata Party] government in India. We are writing to ask you how New York City, a city that claims to have inclusive and egalitarian values, can allow such a brazen celebration of hatred and Islamophobia.”

The letter also mentioned the demolition of Babri Masjid. It said,”We request that your office take action to prevent an organization called the American Indian Public Affairs Committee from projecting an Islamophobic billboard in Times Square on August 5th, which celebrates the destruction of nearly 425-year-old mosque that led to one of the worst communal violence India witnessed resulting in the death of nearly 3000 people.”

Along with the portraits of Ram and images of the proposed architecture, “Jai Shree Ram” will also be displayed on the Time Square screens, while the ceremony in Ayodhya will be attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and multiple BJP leaders.