India, Oct. 22 -- New York City mayoral frontrunner Zohran Mamdani, defending his criticism of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, said it is because he grew up with a vision of India that is in contrast to that of the Indian PM and his Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

In an address to the Hindu American community at a Diwali event, Zohran Mamdani said he grew up with the vision of an India that celebrated pluralism, adding that the vision of Modi and the BJP of an India "only has room for certain kinds of Indians."

Mamdani visited several Hindu temples in Queens on the occasion of Diwali.

"So, I have been critical of Mr. Modi because of the vision that I grew up with was of an India that was pluralistic, an India where everyone belonged, no ma...