Overview

• During a May 15 forum, Zohran Mamdani labeled Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi a “war criminal,” comparing him to Israeli leader Benjamin Netanyahu.
• Indo-American figures including Assemblywoman Jenifer Rajkumar and Sikh leader Jaspreet Singh denounced his comments as hateful and designed to deepen religious divides.
• Mamdani’s broader record of targeting Indian-origin lawmakers and his refusal to sign a Holocaust-condemning resolution have heightened concerns over his identity-driven rhetoric.
• Despite the controversy, Mamdani remains a strong contender in the NYC mayoral race, polling second behind Andrew Cuomo and having raised about $7 million.
• Critics highlighted that India’s Supreme Court exonerated Modi in the 2002 Gujarat riots, challenging the basis of Mamdani’s allegations of state-sponsored violence.