Mira Nair’s Son Zohran Mamdani, Running For NY Mayor Post, Under Fire For Attacking PM Modi

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Last Updated:May 28, 2025, 12:50 IST

When asked if helium would conscionable Modi if the Indian PM held a rally successful New York and asked for a associated property conference, Mamdani said helium wouldn’t be specified an event

Zohran Mamdani (left) is known for targeting PM Modi. (X/File)

New York City mayoral campaigner and Democratic Socialist Zohran Mamdani, the lad of filmmaker Mira Nair, sparked outrage among Indo-American leaders and assemblage representatives for spreading hatred against Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The 33-year-old made the remarks astatine an event, ‘New Mayor, New Media’, held connected May 15 (local time) by New York Focus.

WHAT DID MAMDANI SAY?

When asked if helium would conscionable the Modi if held a rally successful New York and asked for a associated property conference, Mamdani said helium wouldn’t be specified an event, equating the Indian PM to Israel’s PM Benjamin Netanyahu and calling him a “war criminal", according to the New York Post.

He past went connected to blasted the PM for the 2002 Gujarat riots, saying radical were “shocked" erstwhile helium revealed helium was a Gujarati Muslim.

The Supreme Court successful 2022 upheld the Special Investigation Team’s (SIT) cleanable chit to past Gujarat main curate Narendra Modi and 63 others successful the 2002 riots successful the state.

PM Modi, successful an interrogation with US-based podcaster and AI researcher Lex Fridman, earlier this year, had called the Godhra bid incidental a calamity of “unimaginable magnitude" which became a “sparking constituent for violence". “But that 1 tragic incidental successful 2002 became a sparking point, starring immoderate radical towards violence. Yet, the judiciary thoroughly investigated the matter. At that time, our governmental opponents were successful power, and people they wanted each allegations against america to stick. Despite their relentless efforts, the judiciary analysed the concern meticulously doubly and yet recovered america wholly innocent. Those who were genuinely liable person faced justness from the courts," helium said.

MAMDANI’S INDIAN CONNECTION

Mamdani, the lad of Indian-American Mira Nair, was calved and raised successful Kampala, Uganda, earlier moving to New York City astatine the property of seven. His father, Mahmood Mamdani, a Ugandan, has roots successful Gujarat.

Nair’s films see Monsoon Wedding, Mississippi Masala, Kama Sutra: A Tale of Love, and The Reluctant Fundamentalist.

‘HIGHLY OBJECTIONABLE FOR HINDUS’: NOT THE FIRST TIME

Mamdani is known for criticising New York’s politicians of Indian descent — Queens Assemblywoman Jenifer Rajkumar and erstwhile authorities Sen. Kevin Thomas — for not condemning Modi.

In 2020, helium said connected X: “@JeniferRajkumar should instrumentality the wealth she’s taken from Hindu fascists."

Rajkumar had past called Mamdani’s comments “extreme and divisive," and urged voters to “reject hate, whether from the acold near oregon acold right." “Hinduism is simply a religion of peace, nonviolence, and interfaith harmony. Hindu voters privation our leaders to physique bridges—not pain them. We indispensable cull hate—whether it comes from the acold near oregon the acold right. Our metropolis deserves leaders who unite, not provoke—who physique coalitions, not headlines," she said.

Mamdani has besides said connected X: “@KevinThomasNY should admit the terrifying information of what’s happening to Muslim Indians."

He besides said erstwhile Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney should “renounce her relation with Modi & condemn the atrocities he’s perpetrated."

Jaspreet Singh, a Sikh Community Leader and quality rights lawyer, said, “Hate has nary spot successful our city. We judge successful equality, emotion and respect for all. We judge each are children of the aforesaid God. But Zohran has utilized his level to amplify immoderate of the worst anti-Hindu rhetoric imaginable. Words matter, and alternatively of uniting the Indian community, helium seeks to disagreement america by religion, pitting Muslims and Hindus against each other. Associating Hindus with fascism and utilizing derogatory words against them is highly objectionable."

OBAMA TO FIREFIGHTERS: CONTROVERSY’S CHILD

Mamdani besides reportedly trashed Barack Obama, accusing the erstwhile US president of lying, successful a bid of tweets from 2013 which resurfaced recently.

Mamdani, who is polling 2nd down ex-Gov. Andrew Cuomo, repeatedly refused to motion disconnected an annual, non-controversial solution simply commemorating May 4 arsenic ‘Volunteer Firefighters Day’. Mamdani was besides 1 of the fewer Assembly Democrats to ballot against a measure yet signed into instrumentality creating a task unit to assistance with recruitment and retention of unpaid firefighters successful New York. In 2023, helium besides voted against providing $25 cardinal to unpaid occurrence departments statewide for caller instrumentality and facilities and different $10 cardinal to supply stipends to unpaid firefighters for offset grooming costs.

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News world Mira Nair’s Son Zohran Mamdani, Running For NY Mayor Post, Under Fire For Attacking PM Modi