By Rituparna Chatterjee
A Texan Congressman鈥檚 criticism of New York mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani for eating rice with his bare hands has sparked a backlash, with people across Asia standing up for the common practice.
The 33-year-old Democratic candidate is seen in a resurfaced interview tucking into a bowl of biryani with his hands while answering questions about his campaign. 鈥淭he holy grail of taboos in American politics, which include socialism, Islam and Palestine. You are really going for the trifecta. Tell me why is Palestine a part of your politics?” Mr Mamdani is asked in a 2023 interview with Uncivilised Media.
鈥淲hen you grow up as someone especially in the third world you have a very different understanding of the Palestinian struggle,鈥 he says in the resurfaced clip.
But the seemingly simple, everyday habit of millions of people across rice-eating nations chafed GOP Congressman Brandon Gill who asked Mr Mamdani to 鈥済o back to the Third World鈥 if he wished to eat rice by hand.
Mr Gill shared the clip on X on Monday with a comment that suggested that eating rice with anything but a spoon or a fork went against the grain of American civilisation. 鈥淐ivilised people in America don鈥檛 eat like this. If you refuse to adopt Western customs, go back to the Third World,鈥 he wrote.
Mr Gill was immediately called out by X users, some of whom referenced his Indian-origin wife Danielle D’Souza, the daughter of conservative political commentator Dinesh D’Souza.
But Mr Gill鈥檚 father-in-law joined in, posting an image of him eating out, saying: 鈥淢y culture lesson for Mamdani: Eating with your hands is acceptable when it鈥檚 bread, naan or pizza. Not when it鈥檚 soup, meatloaf or mashed potatoes. Indians sometimes eat rice with their hands in India, but it鈥檚 much more common in rural areas. In America, it鈥檚 considered gross.鈥
Ms Gill also posted in her husband鈥檚 support, saying, “I did not grow up eating rice with my hands and have always used a fork. I was born in America. I’m a Christian MAGA patriot. My father’s extended family lives in India and they are also Christian and they use forks too. Thank you for your attention to this matter.”
MAGA activist Laura Loomer said: 鈥淒isgusting. My dogs are cleaner and more civilised when they eat than little Muhammad.鈥
Mr Mamdani, born in Uganda to Indian parents, if elected, would be the city’s first Muslim and Indian American mayor. On Tuesday, the New York City Election board confirmed his victory in the Democratic primary, clearing the way for him to be the party’s nominee for the November mayoral election.
Several people suggested there was an inherent 鈥渉ypocrisy鈥 in critiquing the rice-eating custom when Americans eat burgers, tacos, french fries and pizza the same way.
鈥淢any countries in the Middle East, Africa, South Asia, and parts of Southeast Asia practice eating with hands as a traditional custom,鈥 wrote one user.
鈥淪he ate dog food at a live show for some $ but she is calling Mamdani uncivilized for eating rice with his hands. The hypocrisy is almost impressive. Billions eat with their hands daily. To call it ‘uncivilized’ is pure racism,鈥 one user posted in criticism of Ms Loomer鈥檚 comment on Mr Mamdani. The user was referring to the right-wing political activist posting a video tasting a dog food product that she claimed came from 鈥渁n amazing company鈥 鈥 one that has pushed MAGA ideals and is a favourite on the conservative-favoured platform Rumble.
The day after Mr Mamdani’s victory, president Donald Trump called him a “100 percent communist lunatic” while the Republican party’s congressional campaign arm promised to tie him to every vulnerable Democrat in next year’s midterm elections.
Mr Mamdani has said that his objective was “to win people back to the Democratic party”.