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NDTV
5 days ago
- Politics
- NDTV
"This Is All Jihad": Zohran Mamdani's Ex-Intern On Protests Against Israel
A former intern for New York mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani has described political activism as "jihad" and urged Muslims to risk getting suspended or arrested while standing up to "settler colonialism." Hadeeqa Malik, a City College of New York student and activist, was seen in a video encouraging fellow Muslims to accept the consequences, including doxing and disciplinary action, for protesting against Israel's war on Gaza. "The true believer knows that none of this is in vain, that this is all Jihad (holy war), this is all ibadah (worship)," Ms Malik said in the clip making rounds online. It was taken from a CUNY4Palestine webinar titled 'Islamic Political Activism.' "So, the conversation of doxing, the conversation of getting arrested and suspended, I think it's time for Muslims to start to say, 'All right, all right, so what? Do what you want. I'm going to do what I got to do." In the same video, Ms Malik criticised people who have not joined the movement against Israeli oppression in Palestine. Israel's onslaught on the narrow strip has entered its 21st month, with over 58,000 Palestinians killed so far in ground invasion, airstrikes and recent shootings at food and water distribution points. "If you're not seeing this as your issue to deal with, then something is wrong, there is an illness, there is a disease, something messing up the system inside that's telling you this isn't your business," she said. She challenged Muslims, saying, "If you get suspended, if you get doxed, because it's bound to happen... when you're doing something for the sake of Allah here in the West it will never, ever be in vain, and the true believer does not fear that." This is Zohran Mamdani's intern 'This is all jihad, this is all ibadah' I'm sorry, but these are not normal moderate Muslim views She is a radical Islamist At the end she implies anything is justified for the cause (lying?) HT @thestustustudio — Shaun Maguire (@shaunmmaguire) July 9, 2025 Ms Malik served as a communications, outreach, policy, and constituent services intern in Zohran Mamdani's New York State Assembly office during the summer of 2024. A photo shared on her LinkedIn profile shows Ms Malik and Mr Mamdani smiling for a selfie. The activist, who is pursuing a degree in international relations with a minor in human rights, also lists herself as president of the City College chapter of Students for Justice in Palestine. She is affiliated with the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) as an outreach coordinator and serves as a Racial Justice Fellow at the Colin Powell School for Civic and Global Leadership. In a separate incident at a rally supporting Palestine earlier this year, Ms Malik confronted New York police officers and singled out a Muslim officer. "Let's read the badges of the pigs," she said while reading officers' names aloud. "To the pigs who can call themselves by the name of Islam. Put some respect on their names!" BREAKING: The Islamist who screamed at a Muslim NYPD officer for stopping rioters from burning down NYC has been revealed as an intern for Zohran Mamdani. These are the lunatics who'll run the city if he becomes mayor. — Eyal Yakoby (@EYakoby) July 8, 2025 The officer, who appeared visibly uncomfortable, was later rotated out as he stepped back from the line.
Indian Express
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Indian Express
‘I'm listening, I'm learning': Zohran Mamdani opens up about battle with his ‘favourite' word in hilarious video
New York mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani is poking fun at himself after his communications team called him out for frequently using one particular word, which is 'ultimately'. In a light-hearted video on Instagram, Mamdani admitted that his team gave him an 'ultimatum' to cut down on the word, which he tends to repeat in interviews and public appearances. 'So the other day, my comms team was giving me some feedback that I used the word 'ultimately' a little too much and I need to take it out of my vocabulary,' Mamdani said in the video. He then showed a series of media and podcast snippets where he repeatedly used the word. The video then moves to a recent interview Mamdani appeared in, where he was responding to US President Donald Trump's claim that Mamdani is a Communist who should be arrested. Mamdani said he would not back down, and stopped himself before saying 'ultimately,' switching up his sentence mid-way. 'I am listening, I am learning. I sat down for an interview with News 12 and I almost pulled it off,' he said in the video. Concluding the video, he said, 'So, please keep sending me your feedback because ultimately, I will get better.' 'I was given an ultimatum,' he captioned the video. Watch here: A post shared by Zohran Kwame Mamdani (@zohrankmamdani) The video quickly gained traction, leaving several social media users in splits. 'You are ultimately aware of your own transmitted resonance and hence I love your transparency,' a user wrote. 'Not a politician taking feedback and applying it in real time,' another user commented. 'The pause has me dying man (laughing emojis),' a third user reacted. Born to filmmaker Mira Nair and Mahmood Mamdani, Zohran Mamdani has been serving as a Democratic member of the New York State Assembly for Queens' 36th District since January 2021.
NZ Herald
5 days ago
- Politics
- NZ Herald
Andrew Cuomo tries another run for mayor – this time as an independent
Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech. Andrew Cuomo tries another run for mayor – this time as an independent Andrew Cuomo. Photo / Getty Images Former New York Governor Andrew M. Cuomo said on Monday that he is running for New York mayor as an independent, weeks after he was soundly defeated in the Democratic primary. In a video circulated on social media, Cuomo, 67, thanked his supporters for voting for him and apologised for letting them down. But he went on to say that only 13% of New Yorkers voted in the June primary and that he was 'in it to win it' in November. He described Zohran Mamdani, the New York State Assembly member who won the Democratic primary, as having 'slick slogans and no real solutions'. He repeated the argument he made during the primary that he was the candidate with the experience to implement the affordability agenda that Mamdani was promoting. Just weeks ago, Cuomo lost by 12 percentage points to Mamdani, a 33-year-old democratic socialist who received more votes in a Democratic primary than any other candidate in the city's history. The upset stunned the Democratic establishment and seemed to herald the end of the Cuomo political dynasty. Before Cuomo was governor, his father, Mario Cuomo, held the position for 12 years.
NDTV
12-07-2025
- Politics
- NDTV
Zohran Mamdani's Call To End Police Response To Domestic Violence In 2020 Podcast Resurfaces
An old podcast video in which New York Democratic mayoral hopeful Zohran Mamdani said the New York Police Department (NYPD) should not respond to domestic violence incidents has resurfaced. He, instead, suggested that people trained to deal with such specific situations be in charge. The 33-year-old made the remarks during an episode of the Immigrantly podcast in July 2020, shortly after the killing of George Floyd. 'If somebody is jaywalking, if somebody is surviving, going through domestic violence, there are so many different, different situations that would be far better handled by people trained to deal with those specific situations, as opposed to an individual with a gun,' Mamdani said during the podcast. Citing concerns of 'escalation,' Mamdani questioned the efficacy and appropriateness of involving armed law enforcement in situations of domestic abuse. The NYPD recorded more than 110,000 domestic violence cases in New York City in 2024 alone, highlighting the scale and severity of the issue. The podcast appearance was reportedly recorded at a time when public discourse around police reform was at its peak, and Mamdani aligned himself with many progressive voices in calling for a reimagining of public safety infrastructure. On the same podcast, he said, 'We find so many people who are having a mental breakdown, or people who are just trying to sleep on the train, or people who are just suffering through something in their lives. And instead of receiving a helping hand, they were shot, they were Tased, they were killed.' Mamdani, who was elected to the New York State Assembly later in 2020, has centred his current mayoral bid around transformative changes to public safety. Central to his campaign is a pledge to create a new Department of Community Safety, with a proposed $1 billion budget, to respond to mental health and other crises traditionally managed by police officers. His policy brief outlines a shift towards 'crisis responders' in such cases, although it stops short of defining the scenarios that fall under this new agency's jurisdiction. Mamdani's campaign has also not offered clarification on whether domestic violence incidents will be excluded from police purview under his proposed system. During the same Immigrantly episode, Mamdani criticised what he described as the NYPD's militarised presence in minority communities. He characterised their presence as akin to an 'occupying force' and expressed full support for the movement to defund the police, which gained significant momentum within segments of the Democratic Party during the summer of 2020. The emergence of Mamdani's 2020 comments comes just weeks after he secured a thumping victory in a crowded Democratic mayoral race, positioning him as a prominent contender in the upcoming election.
Time of India
09-07-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Zohran Mamdani says he's a socialist; Trump calls him a ‘communist lunatic' – What's the difference?
Zohran Kwame Mamdani seems to be sticking to the news – for all the relevant reasons. However, at this point, the 33-year-old member of the New York State Assembly and the Democratic nominee for New York City mayor is under the microscope – because the US President doesn't seem to get over his win in the Primary Election and move on from his milestone victory. And this 'obsession' has ignited an intense debate. Mamdani proudly identifies as a democratic socialist. He supports and advocates for policies like rent freezes, fare-free buses, publicly owned grocery stores, universal childcare, and higher taxes on the wealthy – key pointers of the idea of social democracy. But Donald Trump doesn't seem to agree with Mamdani's self-proclamation – at all. Rather, the US President has repeatedly slammed Mamdani as a '100% Communist Lunatic,' calling him a 'pure communist' and threatening to withhold federal funding or even deploy the federal government if Mamdani is elected. This stark contrast raises a critical question: What's the real difference between socialism and communism, and what's at stake in this high-stakes rhetorical battle over New York's next mayor? Moreover, these clashing narratives – between democratic socialism and alleged communism – raise some more vital questions: What exactly distinguishes the two ideologies? And why is Trump labeling Mamdani a communist when his policies are arguably far more moderate? Let's unpack. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Free P2,000 GCash eGift UnionBank Credit Card Apply Now Undo Understanding Democratic Socialism Democratic socialism is a political philosophy that combines democratic governance with a commitment to social ownership or regulation of key sectors. In Mamdani's case, his focus is on expanding public services and reducing inequality, not dismantling the private economy. Key components include: Democratic governance: Preserving elections, multi-party systems, and political freedoms. Targeted public ownership or subsidization: Rent regulation, municipal grocery stores, public transit, childcare. Mixed economy: Encouraging private enterprise alongside robust public investment. Progressive taxation: Increasing revenue from corporations and millionaires to fund social programs. Mamdani sees democratic socialism as a path toward 'redistributed wealth and power…where necessities of life are rights.' His alignment with figures like Bernie Sanders and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez places him squarely in the tradition of modern US democratic socialism, which emphasizes incremental reforms through democratic institutions. What is Communism, and why Mamdani isn't it Communism, as historically practiced in the Soviet Union, Maoist China, and other one-party states, involves: Abolition of private property and transfer of all means of production to the state. Centralized, planned economy with no role for markets. Authoritarian, single-party rule, often repressing dissent. Mamdani is conspicuously not advocating any of these. To put it in a list, he does not support : Seizing private businesses or banning markets. Imposing a single-party regime or abolishing elections. Forcing price controls beyond regulated rents or pilot grocery stores. Anna Grzymala-Busse, Stanford University professor of international studies, wrote in an email to PolitiFact, as reported by Al Jazeera: 'Communism involves a centrally planned economy, with no market forces. Prices and quantities are set by a central government authority. There is no democratic political competition, and instead a single party rules the country,' clarifying that, Mamdani, 'is not calling for any of this. ' Democratic socialists explicitly reject authoritarianism and nationalization of the entire industry – components at the heart of classic communism. What's Mamdani's actual agenda in NYC Mamdani's policy platform prioritizes affordability and equity: Rent freezes and expanded rent stability, combating displacement. Fare-free public transit, echoing successful models like Kansas municipal buses. City-owned grocery pilots, to ensure fair access, intended to supplement, not replace, private grocery chains. Universal childcare, with state-funded support and family "baby baskets." Higher taxes on millionaires and corporations to support public programs. Progressive police reform, focusing on community policing and social services. These policy goals fall squarely within the tradition of European social democracy, and none of these proposals involves overturning fundamental capitalist structures or erasing private property – hallmarks of communism. Trump's Rhetoric: Scare tactics vs. substance Trump's attacks on Mamdani have been both forceful and persistent. He has labeled Mamdani a 'communist,' 'pure communist,' 'communist nutjob,' and '100% communist lunatic' across various platforms. Trump has threatened to withhold federal funds or stage federal takeovers if Mamdani pursues progressive policies. He has even suggested that Mamdani could face arrest, deportation, or have his citizenship stripped, despite being a naturalized citizen since 2018. These attacks reflect classic 'red-baiting,' which leverages fear of 'communism' to undermine dissenting views and portray them as extreme or authoritarian. In this way, Trump's approach is both inaccurate and misleading, yet strategic: it stirs fear, diverts attention from substantive policy discussions, and rallies conservative voters. The broader implications This conflict is about more than just labels; it reveals deeper dynamics in politics: Public confusion: Citizens may misinterpret real policy intentions, fearing authoritarian control instead of seeing efforts for increased services. Fear of socialism: Conservatives often equate democratic socialism with historical communism to incite alarm. This fear-mongering can enable political opponents to block policy reforms by branding them as 'communist.' Political signaling and polarization: Trump's rhetoric resonates with voters who are uneasy about so-called 'radical left' ideas. Labeling Mamdani as a communist may deepen societal divisions and distract from pressing issues such as housing and transit affordability. Democratic legitimacy: Attacking Mamdani's citizenship and threatening federal funds raises concerns among Democrats about undermining local self-governance. For NYC voters, Mamdani's campaign emphasizes trust in public provision for basic needs, while Trump's response exacerbates polarization and raises constitutional concerns regarding federal overreach. Clarity over confusion Understanding the substantive differences between these ideologies is crucial because: Voters deserve accurate information to evaluate policies based on their merits rather than on mischaracterizations. Democratic socialism seeks to reform rather than replace capitalism, advocating for public programs alongside private enterprise. Communism aims to completely overthrow capitalism, representing a radical and historically authoritarian transformation. Political discourse benefits from precise terminology, which ensures accountability and fosters constructive debate. Labeling Mamdani as a communist dilutes the meaning of both ideologies and fuels reactionary political strategies, for accurate ideological framing helps preserve a healthy democratic process. To sum it up… At its heart, this debate is illustrative of a larger battle over public understanding, democratic resilience, and ideological framing in American politics. Zohran Mamdani 's identification as a democratic socialist – championing expanded public services, affordability, and progressive taxation – differs sharply from communism, which entails total state control, abolishment of markets, and one-party rule. Trump's description of Mamdani as a 'communist lunatic' reflects a longstanding strategy of political hyperbole and fearmongering, not an accurate ideological assessment. Understanding these distinctions allows voters to engage critically with both policy substance and political rhetoric, while ensuring that democracy remains informed, not inflamed. 'Lunatic, Terrible-Looking': Trump Attacks NYC Muslim Mayor Hopeful Zohran Mamdani | Watch
