What made NYC Democratic Mayoral Nominee Zohran Mamdani call Indian PM Modi a “War Criminal”?

Zohran Mamdani, a 33-year-old democratic socialist, won the NYC Democratic mayoral primary after his opponent and former governor of New York State Andrew M. Cuomo, conceded. Mamdani is an Indian-American politician who became a U.S. citizen in 2018.

At an event earlier this year, Mamdani made a comment about Prime Minister Narendra Modi that recently went viral.

In the video, when a man asked if Mamdani was on board with the idea of partnering with the Indian leader for a press conference after his Madison Square Garden rally, he declined. There were three panelists, all of whom said no. Although Mamdani was the last to answer, he went into detail explaining why his response was no.

He said that his father is a Gujarati Muslim and accused Narendra Modi - who was then the chief minister of Gujarat state - helped orchestrate the mass slaughter of muslims during Gujarat riots in 2002. He described the incident as a mass slaughter and alleged that there are hardly any Muslims left in Gujarat now. He also compared PM Modi to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and called him a ‘war criminal’.

Zohran Mamdani was born in Kampala, Uganda, and moved to New York City at the age of seven with his family. His father, Mahmood Mamdani, is an Indian Muslim from Gujarat state who is a professor of postcolonial studies at Columbia University. His mother Mira Nair is an Indian- American filmmaker. Whose first major hit, Salaam Bombay!, is still celebrated among cinephiles in India. Her other works include movies like Mississippi Masala (1991) and Monsoon Wedding (2001), each celebrated for its rich storytelling, cultural authenticity, and cross-border appeal.

In response to Mamdani's victory, US President Donald Trump, in his Truth Social post, called Mamdani a "100 percent communist lunatic." He also criticized other progressive leaders, including Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (AOC) and Senator Chuck Schumer, who supported Mamdani. In a continued attack, Trump said, “He looks Terrible, his voice is grating, he’s not very smart.”

What makes Mamdani a prime target for Trump is the fact that he speaks out for Palestinians and has accused Israel of "genocide." His support for Palestinians started long ago. The beginning of his political journey was during college, where he co‑founded a student organisation called ‘Students for Justice in Palestine’. In an interview with The New York Times, when a reporter asked Mamdani about his views on the slogan “globalize the intifada” - an outcry used by pro-Palestine protesters - Mamdani defended the slogan calling it “a desperate desire for equality and equal rights in standing up for Palestinian human rights.”