Democratic New York mayoral hopeful Zohran Mamdani has criticised Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, accusing him of promoting a vision of India “that only has room for certain kinds of Indians.” Mamdani made these remarks while speaking at a Diwali event in New York.
The New York State Assembly member, who is running for mayor of New York City, framed his comments around his belief in "pluralism and inclusion".
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“I've been critical of Mr. Modi because of the vision that I grew up with was of an India that was pluralistic, an India where everyone belonged, no matter their religion,” Mamdani said.
“And my critique has been of Modi and the BJP political party 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,” the New York mayor hopeful added.
He went on to say that his campaign in New York is based around representing all residents, regardless of their political views.
"Eight and a half million people, many of whom may feel differently than me about PM Modi, and that's their right. And I will look to represent them all the same because my responsibility is to them as New Yorkers to ensure that they are safe," he said.
With just weeks to go before New Yorkers head to the polls on November 4, Mamdani has positioned himself as a candidate focused on inclusion, affordability and safety. His recent campaign trail included visits to four temples across Queens to celebrate Diwali, ending at Maharaja Sweets in Jackson Heights. He shared images of the celebrations on social media.
The visits, which included prayers at the Ganesh Temple in Flushing, highlight Mamdani’s efforts to connect with diverse voters in a city where eight and a half million people hold widely differing views. “While my opponents are focused on speaking about each other and which one of them should drop out, my focus will be on New Yorkers themselves and the concerns I’ve heard from them,” he told reporters this week.
Mamdani faces a challenging final stretch of the campaign, with former Governor Andrew Cuomo seeking to consolidate moderate and conservative voters by portraying Republican Curtis Sliwa as a spoiler.
Sliwa, the founder of the Guardian Angels, has rejected calls to exit the race and continues to attack both Cuomo and Mamdani, highlighting his outsider appeal.
The New York State Assembly member, who is running for mayor of New York City, framed his comments around his belief in "pluralism and inclusion".
Video
“I've been critical of Mr. Modi because of the vision that I grew up with was of an India that was pluralistic, an India where everyone belonged, no matter their religion,” Mamdani said.
“And my critique has been of Modi and the BJP political party 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,” the New York mayor hopeful added.
SHOCKER 🚨 New York mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani criticizes PM Modi 😳
— Times Algebra (@TimesAlgebraIND) October 22, 2025
He said "I have ALWAYS been critical of Modi" 🤯
"I grew up believing in an India that welcomes everyone but Modi and the BJP only have space for a select few" pic.twitter.com/5EIsClIird
He went on to say that his campaign in New York is based around representing all residents, regardless of their political views.
"Eight and a half million people, many of whom may feel differently than me about PM Modi, and that's their right. And I will look to represent them all the same because my responsibility is to them as New Yorkers to ensure that they are safe," he said.
With just weeks to go before New Yorkers head to the polls on November 4, Mamdani has positioned himself as a candidate focused on inclusion, affordability and safety. His recent campaign trail included visits to four temples across Queens to celebrate Diwali, ending at Maharaja Sweets in Jackson Heights. He shared images of the celebrations on social media.
Last night I visited four temples across Queens to celebrate the Hindu Festival of Lights, ending at Maharaja Sweets in Jackson Heights, where we gave out six kinds of delicious treats alongside some very special guests. Happy Diwali, NYC! pic.twitter.com/MKZB6UnrsT
— Zohran Kwame Mamdani (@ZohranKMamdani) October 21, 2025
The visits, which included prayers at the Ganesh Temple in Flushing, highlight Mamdani’s efforts to connect with diverse voters in a city where eight and a half million people hold widely differing views. “While my opponents are focused on speaking about each other and which one of them should drop out, my focus will be on New Yorkers themselves and the concerns I’ve heard from them,” he told reporters this week.
Mamdani faces a challenging final stretch of the campaign, with former Governor Andrew Cuomo seeking to consolidate moderate and conservative voters by portraying Republican Curtis Sliwa as a spoiler.
Sliwa, the founder of the Guardian Angels, has rejected calls to exit the race and continues to attack both Cuomo and Mamdani, highlighting his outsider appeal.
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