After coming under Islamophobic attacks amid calls for his deportation, New York mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani, whose surprise win in the primary shook the Republicans, the Socialist politician was slammed for eating rice with his hand. A campaign video of his eating rice with his hand while discussing world politics went viral, with people debating how nauseous the video made them feel — while others defended the South Asian practice. “Zohran says his worldview is inspired by the 3rd world while eating rice with his hands,” the caption of the viral video said. In the particular clip that went viral, he said growing up in third-world, he has a very different understanding of Palestine.“It’s not eating with your hands that’s gross. It’s the identity politics of it,” one wrote. “Foreigner with a deep “understanding” of the third world’s perspectives, wants to run our largest city. To whose benefit, I wonder?” another comment read. “He should be deported. He’s against our Constitution on multiple levels,” another wrote. “How can you live in the USA most of your life and not learn to eat rice etc with a fork? I’m sick. This aren’t chicken wings,” a third user added.“Nasty. Why can’t they use cutlery. That’s just lazy,” one comment read.Some users pointed out that as the son of the celebrated Indian-American film director Mira Nair, he had a rich childhood and the third-world statement was just his grandstanding in front of the camera for the election. As the comment sections of the viral video turned into an Asian-hatred space, many people defended his way of eating with hand and said this is the standard way people in South Asia eat and there is nothing wrong it it. “Notably, he’s not even doing it right. That isn’t how you eat rice with your hands. This is entirely a constructed persona to make white liberals feel special and in the know,” one wrote, implying that he was eating using his hands only for the camera. Notably, he’s not even doing it right. That isn’t how you eat rice with your hands. This is entirely a constructed persona to make white liberals feel special and in the know.
