Overview

• Zohran Mamdani made the comment at a May 15 forum when comparing Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Israeli leader Benjamin Netanyahu and accusing him of orchestrating the 2002 Gujarat riots.
• Assemblywoman Jenifer Rajkumar described the remarks as "extreme, divisive language" that distracts from urgent city issues like crime and housing.
• Sikh leader Jaspreet Singh called Mamdani’s statement anti-Hindu hate speech and demanded an apology to New York’s Hindu community.
• Mamdani’s past tweets labeled Hindu politicians as "fascists," underscoring his history of polarizing critiques of Modi and his supporters.
• Observers say the controversy risks alienating New York’s 250,000-strong Hindu diaspora and could dampen his support in the Democratic primary.