Zohran Mamdani: The Anti-India, Hinduphobic Activist Who Became New York’s Mayor

In a political development that has taken the United States by surprise, 34-year-old Zohran Mamdani has been elected as the new Mayor of New York City, defeating former Governor Andrew Cuomo and Republican candidate Curtis Sliwa. Many in India’s liberal media circles rushed to celebrate his victory, calling it a “moment of pride” for Indian-Americans. But beyond the token identity politics and the headlines about “India’s first Muslim-origin mayor,” lies a far more troubling truth Mamdani’s history of Hinduphobic, anti-India, and divisive statements that have long targeted Prime Minister Narendra Modi and India’s cultural identity.

Set to take office on January 1, Mamdani will also become the city’s youngest mayor in over a century. But his ideological positions and past activism raise serious concerns about whether this is a triumph of diversity or a dangerous endorsement of anti-India narratives finding legitimacy in Western politics.

From Kampala to New York: A Journey Framed by Ideology

Born on October 18, 1991, in Kampala, Uganda, Zohran Mamdani is the son of Ugandan academic Mahmood Mamdani and acclaimed Indian filmmaker Mira Nair. His early life was spent across Uganda, South Africa, and finally New York City, where he attended the Bronx High School of Science and later graduated from Bowdoin College with a degree in Africana Studies.

Before entering politics, Mamdani worked briefly as a foreclosure prevention counselor and dabbled in music under the stage name “Mr. Cardamom.” His political rise began in 2020 when he was elected to the New York State Assembly from Queens a position that gave him visibility among progressive circles and far-left activists in the Democratic Party.

However, his political ideology soon drew attention not for his governance but for his inflammatory rhetoric against India and the Hindu community. His outspoken views on global politics and repeated targeting of India’s elected government reveal a pattern of ideological extremism rooted in identity politics rather than genuine public service.

Hinduphobia Disguised as Activism

While Western media has portrayed Mamdani as a “progressive reformer,” his record tells a different story. In August 2020, Mamdani joined and led a protest at New York’s Times Square against the construction of the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya a landmark Supreme Court-sanctioned temple project in India. Standing alongside Khalistani sympathisers, Mamdani declared, “I protest against the BJP government in India and the demolition of the Babri Masjid that attempted to build a temple on its ruins.”

This was not an isolated outburst. Mamdani has consistently participated in events and online campaigns that demonize India and its majority community. He once labelled Prime Minister Narendra Modi a “war criminal,” equating him with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and blaming both for “human rights violations.”

Such statements go beyond political criticism they reflect a pattern of vilification against India’s democratic institutions and Hindu beliefs. His open sympathy toward separatist and extremist elements, including those aligned with the Khalistan movement, has alarmed many Indian-Americans who see in Mamdani a deliberate attempt to spread Hinduphobic sentiment under the guise of “human rights” advocacy.

Radical Agenda, Socialist Rhetoric

Zohran Mamdani identifies himself as a Democratic Socialist a label popular among the American left but one that often masks extremist economic and ideological positions. His campaign promises read more like a utopian wishlist than a practical roadmap: rent freezes across the city, 2 lakh new public housing units, universal childcare, tuition-free education, fare-free buses, and even city-run grocery stores.

To fund these massive welfare programs, Mamdani proposes higher taxes on millionaires and corporations, an idea that faces legal hurdles and fiscal impracticalities. His rhetoric of “economic justice” may have energized a section of progressive youth, but even within the Democratic establishment, critics worry about his inexperience and ideological rigidity.

He has also called for diverting police funds to “community services” a stance that aligns with the radical “Defund the Police” movement, which many blame for rising urban crime rates across major U.S. cities. Mamdani’s admiration for socialist policies and his selective outrage against nations like India and Israel expose a moral inconsistency a selective activism that turns a blind eye to extremism as long as it fits his political narrative.

A Controversial Voice on Israel and Global Politics

Mamdani’s foreign policy opinions have often courted controversy. He has publicly condemned U.S. military operations abroad, particularly President Trump’s 2020 airstrikes on Iran, while supporting pro-Palestinian slogans such as “From the river to the sea” a phrase widely criticized as anti-Semitic by Jewish organizations.

His statements have drawn rebukes from Jewish and Indian-American groups, who accuse him of fostering division rather than inclusion. The irony is striking: a leader who claims to represent diversity often uses his platform to demonize entire communities and nations based on selective ideology.

Even US President Trump, during the New York mayoral race, dismissed Mamdani as a “communist,” warning that his policies would drive New York into economic chaos. Yet, despite such concerns, Mamdani’s grassroots campaign succeeded in mobilizing a coalition of radical progressives, young socialists, and ideological activists who see him as the face of America’s new left.

Zohran Mamdani’s victory is being celebrated by sections of Indian media as proof of “Indian success abroad,” but such narratives dangerously ignore his repeated attacks on India’s integrity and Hindu identity. His rise is not a story of Indian pride it is a story of ideological infiltration, where identity is used as a shield to push anti-India propaganda into Western politics.

By glorifying Mamdani without scrutiny, India’s liberal commentators are normalizing the same Hinduphobia they claim to oppose. A man who led protests against the Ram Mandir, mocked India’s elected leadership, and aligned with extremist narratives is now being called a “symbol of representation.”

This isn’t representation it’s distortion. It’s a warning that the global left’s identity obsession now extends to rewarding those who vilify their own roots.

As Mamdani prepares to enter City Hall on January 1, the world will watch whether his promises of “justice and inclusivity” translate into governance or become yet another experiment in radical posturing. For Indians, however, one truth remains clear: behind the celebrated image of a “South Asian success story” stands a politician who has consistently undermined the very civilization he claims descent from.