The Indian Business Association has issued an apology for using an item in a recent parade that some said was Islamophobic.

Edison’s Indian Independence Day Parade featured a bulldozer carrying images of prominent Indian leaders.

Advocacy groups have accused the Indian government of using so-called “bulldozer justice” – the illegal demolition of largely Muslim-owned properties.

The Indian Business Association organized the parade. The organization issued an apology in a letter to the mayors of Edison and Woodbridge.

The letter read in part, “Our parade should never be about politics and should never include blatant divisive symbols. Our parade should recognize us as South Asians living in two of the best towns in the state of New Jersey.”

The New Jersey chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations acknowledged the apology. They say the parade should celebrate India’s independence and rich culture and diversity.