Mayor Adams backs out of joint appearance with divisive Hindu figure
Mayor Eric Adams canceled an appearance next week in Queens with a controversial Hindu leader who for years has faced charges of fomenting anti-Muslim hate in the United States and India, where she was once jailed on charges of hate speech.
Adams was billed as the “guest of honor” in online flyers promoting the joint appearance on July 16 with Kajal Hindusthani in Fresh Meadows. The well-known Hindu activist has drawn fire for calling Muslims “bloodthirsty zombies” in a speech earlier this year. Hindusthani also faced criticism for purportedly urging Hindus to boycott Muslim businesses during an appearance in Dallas last month.
But Harshad Patel, president of the Gujarati Samaj of New York, which organized the event with a number of other local Hindu and Indian-American groups, said the mayor had agreed to attend only to pull out five days later without offering any explanation.
City Hall staffer Zachary Nosanchuk would only say the event was not on Adams' official schedule and that the mayor did not in any way endorse Hindusthani’s views. Adams' re-election campaign staff said it would have no comment on Friday. But advance publicity of the joint appearance – amid a campaign where religious identity and conflict have been issues – spurred calls for Adams to disavow Hindusthani and her past statements.
https://gothamist.com/news/mayor-adams-backs-out-of-joint-appearance-with-divisive-hindu-figure