Islamophobic, Capitalist Diatribe against Zohran Mamdani

Mamdani’s candidature for New York City’s mayor has surely ruffled feathers, has also exposed Islamophobic, capitalist nature of the establishment, and its influence on the American society, writes Asad Mirza

- Asad Mirza

ZOHRAN Mamdani’s surprise victory in the Democratic mayoral primary for the New York City, has indeed stunned the city’s elite. Mamdani defeated former Governor Andrew Cuomo and emerged as the frontrunner in a race that all but guarantees his path to the City Hall as a Democratic nominee. Mamdani, a 33-year-old democratic socialist and Queens assemblyman, won a record-setting primary victory, and unions, grassroots Democratic groups, and savvy elected officials are rushing to back him.

However, what puzzles one is the unexpected campaign launched by the city’s elite, including the wealthiest and most influential citizens of the city, who are up in arms against Mamdani. This also reflects the real face of the American society and the people who control it.

Apparently, Mamdani ran his primary campaign based on his ideas and suggestions to improve the city. But in fact, most of these proposals have been raised in the past too but have not been implemented.

In fact, nearly all his cost-of-living proposals have been enacted or attempted in some form or the other in New York or elsewhere in the US. Former NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio tried freezing the rent on the city’s stabilised units three times, in 2015, 2016, and 2020. Raising the minimum wage for workers? Following a decade of increases approved in Albany, the city’s minimum wage hit $16.50, this year. Mamdani’s call for free public buses sounds similar to the MTA’s Fair Fares programme, which currently lets low-income New Yorkers ride for half-price. And an estimated 3 million hungry New Yorkers get 1.6 million government-supplied meals every day through federal SNAP benefits, so opening five government-owned grocery stores (one in each borough) is more like a tiny welfare project.