Following his historic win as the 111th Mayor of New York City, becoming the first Muslim to hold office, past clips of Zohran Mamdani have resurfaced and gone viral on social media.
One widely shared video shows Mamdani drawing a comparison between Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, labeling Modi a “war criminal” and criticizing his role in the 2002 Gujarat riots, during which hundreds of Muslims were killed.
During his mayoral campaign, Mamdani was asked if he would share a stage with Modi. He firmly declined, citing the Gujarat violence and saying, “As Chief Minister, he oversaw the mass slaughter of Muslims in Gujarat.”
Mamdani added, “We should view him the same way we view Benjamin Netanyahu — as a war criminal.” His remarks, rooted partly in his Gujarati Muslim heritage, have resurfaced amid his rise to global prominence.
Zohran Mamdani, a 34-year-old lawmaker from Queens, made history by becoming New York City’s 111th mayor, and the youngest person to hold the post in more than a century.
According to CBS News, Mamdani secured 1,035,645 votes (50.4%) against former Governor Andrew Cuomo’s 854,783 (41.6%) and Republican Curtis Sliwa’s 146,127 (7.1%). His victory ended Cuomo’s comeback bid and highlighted a generational shift within the Democratic Party.
Born in Uganda to an Indian family, Mamdani became a U.S. citizen in 2018. In his victory speech, he vowed to build an inclusive city, eliminate corruption, and strengthen labor rights.
His win drew national attention, with former U.S. presidents Bill Clinton and Barack Obama, along with Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders, congratulating him on the landmark achievement.
