E-Paper
After Zohran Mamdani's historic win in New York, Mumbai BJP chief's warning: ‘If anyone tries to impose a Khan…’
Mumbai BJP chief Ameet Satam alleged that an attempt is being made to bring the same kind of politics as in New York City to Mumbai.
Hours after Indian-origin leader Zohran Mamdani won the New York mayoral election – a victory that will make him the city’s first Muslim and first South Asian mayor when he takes office on January 1 – the Mumbai unit chief of India's ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) issued a warning, saying any “Khan” in the city will not be tolerated.
Mumbai BJP chief Ameet Satam also accused the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) of “vote jihad”.
“The way the political colour of some international cities is changing, after seeing the surnames of a few mayors and the ‘vote jihad’ of the Maha Vikas Aghadi, it feels necessary to stay alert regarding Mumbai..!” Satam wrote in a post on X.
“If anyone tries to impose a ‘Khan’ on Mumbai, it will not be tolerated! Wake up, Mumbaikars..!” he added.
The Mumbai BJP chief also told NDTV that an attempt is being made to bring the same kind of politics as in New York City to Mumbai. "Some people are adopting the path of appeasement to maintain political power. It is necessary to protect Mumbai from such forces that have previously tried to divide society," he said.
He told the television channel that while he believes in religious harmony, he will oppose anyone's attempt “to divide society by adopting an anti-national stance”.
Meanwhile, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Anand Dubey responded to Satam's remarks, alleging that the BJP leader has been making bizarre statements about the mayor of Mumbai from day one.
“Ameet Satam's mental state has deteriorated. From the day he became president, he realised he was about to be wiped out... That's why he's been making bizarre statements about the mayor of Mumbai from day one... May God give wisdom to people like Ameet Satam... I confidently say that a Marathi Hindu will become the mayor here...” Dubey told ANI.
Zohran Mamdani's victory
Mamdani, 34, is elected to become the first Muslim mayor of the United States' biggest city after elections on Tuesday. Mamdani, who calls himself a democratic socialist, secured about 50 per cent of the vote and defeated Donald Trump-backed Andrew Cuomo and Republican candidate Curtis Sliwa.
Also Read | Zohran Mamdani elected as NYC mayor: Here's a look at his top 5 promises
Born and raised in Kampala, Uganda, Mamdani moved to New York City with his family when he was seven and became a naturalised US citizen in 2018. He is the son of renowned filmmaker Mira Nair and Indian/Ugandan-origin professor Mahmood Mamdani.
In his victory speech, Mamdani said that he would “wake up each morning with a singular purpose: To make this city better for you than it was the day before”.
In the past, Mamdani has criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP, alleging that the party “only has room for certain kinds of Indians”.
His comments on Modi have drawn fierce opposition from some Indian-American groups. BJP MP Kangana Ranaut have also attacked Mamdani publicly, saying that his views “sound more Pakistani than Indian”.
