The New York mayoral race has ignited diplomatic ripples in India after community leaders, academics, and retired officials raised alarms over candidate Zohran Mamdani’s “Hinduphobic lies.” In recent months, Mamdani, a member of the Democratic Socialists of America, has accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of being a “war criminal” and claimed Gujarat is devoid of Muslims—remarks critics say are baseless and inflammatory. His comments have drawn backlash from Indo-American leaders and are now fueling international attention.

Two open letters dated August 26 have intensified the debate. One, addressed to External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, urged the Indian government to condemn Mamdani’s statements, file a diplomatic protest with Washington, revoke any OCI status he may hold, and deny him entry into India. The letter cited census data and Supreme Court rulings to argue that Mamdani’s claims misrepresent facts and harm India’s global reputation. Another letter, sent to his mother, filmmaker Mira Nair, appealed for her to advise her son against spreading “offensive and factually incorrect” remarks, even inviting her on a fact-finding trip to Gujarat.

Critics point to Mamdani’s history of inflammatory rhetoric against Hindus and India, including opposing the Ram Mandir construction, invoking divisive claims about the 2002 Gujarat riots, and accusing Hindus aligned with Modi of “fascism.” His record also includes controversial anti-Israel stances, leading colleagues to accuse him of antisemitism. Community leaders warn that his candidacy risks deepening religious divides within New York, with Sikh leader Jaspreet Singh saying: “Instead of uniting the Indian community, he seeks to divide us by religion, pitting Muslims and Hindus against each other.”