NEW YORK CITY, August 10, 2025 – Zohran Kwame Mamdani, the Democratic nominee for New York City mayor and a state assemblymember, posted a brief video on X (formerly Twitter) wishing followers a “Happy Rakhi” in celebration of Raksha Bandhan, the Hindu festival honoring sibling bonds. The post, shared on August 9—the date of the festival in 2025—quickly garnered over 1.1 million views but also ignited a wave of criticism, with detractors accusing him of hypocrisy given his past criticisms of Hindu nationalism and participation in protests perceived as anti-Hindu.
In the seven-second video, Mamdani, dressed in a white shirt and beige tie, smiles at the camera against the backdrop of a high-rise building, likely in an urban setting. The accompanying caption reads simply: “Happy Rakhi! 💛” Raksha Bandhan, observed on the full moon day of the Hindu month of Shravana, involves sisters tying a sacred thread (rakhi) on their brothers’ wrists as a symbol of protection and love. Mamdani, who is Muslim and the son of acclaimed filmmaker Mira Nair (who has Hindu roots), has previously highlighted Hinduism’s role in his personal life, noting in statements that the religion “is a meaningful part of Zohran’s life.”
However, the gesture drew sharp rebukes from online users, many of whom referenced a 2020 rally in Times Square where Mamdani spoke. The event protested the construction of the Ram Mandir temple in Ayodhya, India, on the site of the demolished Babri mosque—a flashpoint in Indian religious politics. Chants at the rally reportedly included derogatory remarks like “Who are Hindus? Bastards!” Critics on X accused Mamdani of insincerity, with one user posting, “Didn’t you participate and lead chants in a hate rally where Hindus were called ‘b*stards’? Why are you wishing us on our festival now?” Another called it “Taqqiya Taqqiya Taqqiya!”—invoking an Islamic concept often misused to imply deception—while others suggested the post was a ploy for Hindu votes in his mayoral campaign.
Mamdani’s campaign has clarified that he attended the 2020 rally to advocate for a “pluralistic” India “where everyone can belong regardless of their religion,” and he has rejected rhetoric targeting Hindus. His adviser, Zara Rahim, emphasized this stance in response to past criticisms. Despite this, Mamdani has faced broader accusations of being “anti-Hindu” from Hindu right-wing groups and supporters of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, whom Mamdani has labeled a “war criminal” over the 2002 Gujarat riots that killed over 1,000 people, mostly Muslims. BJP figures like MP Kangana Ranaut have publicly criticized him, accusing him of being ready “to wipe out Hinduism.”
Supporters and experts view the backlash as part of a larger pattern tied to Mamdani’s progressive views on India and Palestine, rather than inherent anti-Hindu bias. Rohit Chopra, a communications professor, described efforts to “silence criticism” of Modi’s past, while local organizer Jagpreet Singh noted Mamdani’s outreach to Hindu communities, including visits to temples and advocacy for Diwali as a state holiday. Kayla Bassett of the Center for the Study of Organized Hate called the narrative around Mamdani “about promoting a narrative that casts Muslims as inherently suspect.”
Mamdani, a democratic socialist running on a platform of rent freezes, free public transit, and universal childcare, won the Democratic primary in June 2025 with strong support from young, working-class, and minority voters, including in majority-Asian neighborhoods. As the November election approaches, the post highlights the intersection of local politics with global religious and cultural tensions. Mamdani’s campaign did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the recent backlash.