New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani criticised Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his lack of pluralism, saying his vision of India only has room for certain kinds of Indians.
Speaking at an Indian-American community event during Diwali, Mamdani reiterated his critique, saying he grew up with a vision of India that contrasts with that of Modi and the BJP.
"I've been critical of Mr Modi becasue of the vision that i grew up with was of an Indian that was pluralistic... an India where everyone belonged no matter their religion. My critique has been of Mr Modi and the BJP for their vision of an India that only has room for certain kinds of Indians... and it's part of a belief that pluralism is something to be celebrated, something to be strived for," said Mamdani, who is the son of Indian-American filmmaker Mira Nair.
Mamdani, who is the Democratic Party's mayoral candidate, added that he will continue to represent everyone similarly, even those who oppose him for his views of PM Modi.
"And I also know that I'm running to be the mayor of New York City -- eight and a half million people many of whom may feel differently than me about Mr. Modi, and that's their right... And I will look to represent them all the same, because my responsibility to them as New Yorkers is to ensure that they are safe, to ensure they can afford this city," he said.
In the past, Mamdani has been outspoken in his criticism of Modi, calling the Indian leader a “war criminal” and condemning him over the 2002 Gujarat riots.
Mamdani, a self-described democratic socialist, has focused his campaign on tackling the affordability crisis and easing the cost of living in New York, one of the world’s most expensive cities. His campaign has combined issues-based mass grassroots outreach with savvy social media use, where his charismatic persona has resonated with a broad demographic coalition.
Mamdani will become New York City’s first Muslim mayor and the first of South Asian descent if elected in November. His challengers are Republican nominee Carlos Sliwa and independent candidate and former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, whom Mamdani defeated convincingly in the Democratic primary.
