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Radical Islamist Zohran Mamdani Is NYC Mayoral Candidate, He Called PM Modi A “War Criminal” And Made Fake Claims Like “No Gujarati Muslims Left”

June 5, 2025
The Commune

With the mayoral race heating up in America’s most populous city, one name has emerged as both a rising star and a lightning rod for controversy: Zohran Mamdani. The 33-year-old Democratic Socialist but a concealed radical Islamist and Hinduphobe, currently a member of the New York State Assembly, has gained traction through a slick populist campaign appealing to working-class voters and immigrant communities. But beneath the carefully constructed campaign videos and community outreach lies a disturbing track record of religious divisiveness, inflammatory rhetoric, and open hostility towards India and its Hindu community.

A Populist Pitch With A Polarizing Edge

In his latest campaign video—delivered in fluent Hindi and aimed at Indian-origin voters—Mamdani declared: “Billionaires already have everything. Now, your time has come.” He spoke of rent freezes, free public transport, cheaper groceries, and universal childcare, claiming to have raised $8 million from people-powered donations. Framing the election as a battle between himself and former Governor Andrew Cuomo, Mamdani warned voters that a Cuomo victory would mean “Trump control over New York City,” claiming—without evidence—that Cuomo’s campaign was being funded by Trump-aligned donors.

This video has since gone viral, tapping into populist sentiments among New Yorkers facing skyrocketing rents and economic hardship. But it is also drawing sharp criticism—not for what Mamdani promised, but for what he has long stood for.

Deep Roots, Deeper Divides

Born in Kampala, Uganda to Indian-American filmmaker Mira Nair and Ugandan academic Mahmood Mamdani, Zohran moved to New York at age seven. His cosmopolitan upbringing and elite education placed him on a unique trajectory—one that eventually landed him in New York politics. His mother, Nair, is known for films like Monsoon Wedding, Kama Sutra, and The Reluctant Fundamentalist—works celebrated by some and criticized by others for their contentious portrayal of Indian culture and sexuality.

But Mamdani’s political persona is far more aggressive than artistic. A self-avowed critic of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Mamdani has repeatedly likened Modi to Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu, going so far as to call him a “war criminal” during a recent public forum. He cited the 2002 Gujarat riots as justification—failing to mention that India’s Supreme Court had cleared Modi of any involvement after extensive investigations.

In the video, he responds to the question “Modi is holding a rally in Madison Square Garden. He wants to hold a joint press conference with you afterwards reaffirming the strong bond between India and New York. Do you agree to the event?” with this response –

“No, and I just want to say something here which is that. My father, his family comes from Gujarat in India and his family is Muslim, I am Muslim and Narendra Modi helped to orchestrate what was a mass slaughter of Muslims in Gujarat to the extent that we don’t even believe there are Gujarati Muslims anymore, and when I tell someone that I am, it’s a shock to them that that is even the case. And this is someone who we should view in the same manner that we do Benjamin Netanyahu, this is a war criminal.”

No Gujarati Muslims Left?

At the above event, Mamdani stunned many when he claimed that “we don’t even believe there are Gujarati Muslims anymore,” attempting to present himself as a survivor of ‘erasure’ due to communal violence. His claim was not only inflammatory—it was false. According to the official 2011 Census of India, Gujarat had nearly 58.5 lakh Muslims, comprising 9.67% of the population. Today, that number is likely higher. His suggestion that Gujarati Muslims have been wiped out is both factually incorrect and dangerously provocative.

This prompted widespread outrage from Indian-American community leaders and politicians alike.

A Pattern Of Extremism

The 2025 controversies are not isolated incidents. In 2020, Mamdani led an aggressive protest in Times Square against the construction of the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya. According to videos circulated at the time, slurs like “Hindus are bastards” were shouted during the protest—statements Mamdani has neither disavowed nor clarified. That protest was backed by Khalistani separatists, raising additional concerns about the ideological company Mamdani keeps.

His critics note that Mamdani often conflates Hindus with India’s ruling BJP, turning political dissent into religious animosity. When fellow politicians like Jennifer Rajkumar and Kevin Thomas refused to denounce Modi during his 2023 New York visit, Mamdani labeled them as complicit—again stoking intra-community rifts.

Double Standards And Anti-Semitism

Mamdani’s controversial stance is not limited to India and Hindus. He has been accused of anti-Semitism after refusing to co-sign a resolution condemning the Holocaust and abstaining from a proclamation marking Israel’s 77th Independence Day. Critics argue that his frequent comparisons of Israel to apartheid regimes, and his condemnation of the country’s response to the October 7 Hamas terror attacks, reveal a pattern of selective outrage and ideological extremism.

Assemblyman Sam Berger summed up the dismay: “He condemned Israel the day after October 7th, regularly gives interviews on unapologetic antisemitic platforms and just proudly accepted an endorsement from a disgraced former fire-alarm pulling Congressman who denied October 7th rapes before walking that back,”

(With inputs from Times Of India)

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