An old video of Indian-origin politician Zohran Mamdani criticising Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the 2002 Gujarat riots has resurfaced and gone viral on social media following the announcement of the Democratic nomination results for the New York mayoral race.
In the video, Mamdani is seen addressing a gathering where he says, “My father, his family comes from Gujarat, in India. His family is Muslim, and I’m Muslim.” He goes on to allege, “Narendra Modi helped orchestrate what was a mass slaughter of Muslims in Gujarat to the extent that we don’t even believe there are Gujarati Muslims anymore.”
“When I tell someone that I am [a Gujarati Muslim], it’s a shock to them,” he claimed. Mamdani also compared Prime Minister Modi to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
The remarks, though not new, have resurfaced and sparked fresh controversy online as Mamdani remains in the spotlight during the ongoing mayoral race. His comments have drawn strong criticism from Indian-American leaders and community members, who argue that such statements incite hatred and deepen religious divisions.
Indian-American politician Jenifer Rajkumar condemned Mamdani’s remarks, stating that divisive rhetoric targeting foreign leaders has no place in the New York mayoral race.
Although the counting for the Democratic nomination is still underway—due to the ranked-choice voting system, which requires voters to list five candidates in order of preference—Mamdani currently falls short of the 50 percent threshold. Former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo has conceded defeat.
However, it remains unclear whether Cuomo will still contest the general election in November as an independent candidate. In the November polls, Mamdani is expected to face incumbent mayor Eric Adams and Republican candidate Curtis Sliwa.
Born in Uganda to Indian-origin parents, Mamdani moved to New York with his family at the age of seven. His campaign has drawn significant attention, particularly among Muslims in the city, as he could become New York’s first Muslim mayor if elected.