Mamdani in fresh political heat over college admission declaration
He had claimed both Asian as well as Black or African American status in a college application to Columbia University in 2009
Washington: Indian-origin politician Zohran Mamdani, who made headlines after clinching the Democratic Party’s nomination for Mayor of New York City, is at the centre of a fresh political controversy.
In a recent report, the New York Times stated that Mamdani had claimed both Asian as well as Black or African American status in a college application to Columbia University in 2009.
Mamdani’s political opponents have attacked the 33-year old politician for claiming African American status to advance his chances of admission into Columbia at a time when the university used race-sensitive affirmative action policies to enhance diversity in the student body.
Mamdani - who was born in Uganda to filmmaker Mira Nair and Indian-Ugandan academic Mahmood Mamdani - has said that he does not identify as African-American but as an “American born in Africa”.
“Most college applications don’t have a box for Indian-Ugandans, so I checked multiple boxes trying to capture the fullness of my background,” Mamdani was quoted as telling the New York Times.
Mamdani’s father - the noted Columbia Professor Mahmood Mamdani - spent much of his academic career in Uganda and other African academic institutions and traces his roots to Gujarat.
The controversy has sparked a vigorous debate on questions of race and identity politics, which remain sensitive and highly resonant issues in American politics.
Incumbent New York City Mayor Eric Adams - who is running as an independent to secure re-election in November - has attacked Mamdani
“The African American identity is not a checkbox of convenience,” Adams said. “It’s a history, a struggle, and a lived experience.
For someone to exploit that for personal gain is deeply offensive,” he added.
The campaign of former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, who was recently defeated by Mamdani for the Democratic nomination in the mayoral election, has also weighed in.
“This issue must be fully investigated because, if true, it could be fraud and just the tip of the iceberg,” said a spokesperson for Cuomo’s campaign.
However, Mamdani’s opponent from the Republican Party, Curtis Sliwa, has called for all parties to move on and focus on the core issues concerning New Yorkers.
“Even people who don’t agree with him on the issues will rally to his defence when they think the attacks are unfair or over the top,” said Sliwa, who will also challenge Mamdani in the general election in November.
Despite the controversy, Mamdani remains the front-runner to become Mayor of New York City in November.
According to a poll conducted by polling firm American Pulse, 35.2% of likely voters in New York City said they would vote for Mamdani in the November election.
Former Governor Andrew Cuomo came in second with 29% of public support while Republican nominee Curtis Sliwa and incumbent Mayor Eric Adams came third and fourth respectively.
