Jul 01, 2025 06:41 AM IST
Congressman Brandon Gill, married to Indian-origin author Danielle D’Souza Gill, shamed Zohran Mamdani for eating rice with his hands.
Danielle D’Souza Gill, the Indian-origin wife of Congressman Brandon Gill, has supported her husband’s remark on Zohran Mamdani’s video showing him eating with hands. She posted, “I did not grow up eating rice with my hands and have always used a fork.”
What is the Brandon Gill-Zohran Mamadani controversy?
It all started when an X profile shared a video of Indian-origin New York mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani eating rice with his hands. Texas Congressman Brandon Gill reshared the video and wrote: “Civilized people in America don’t eat like this. If you refuse to adopt Western customs, go back to the Third World.”
The post quickly prompted outrage on social media, with many pointing out that Gill’s wife is of Indian origin. They added that it’s a common practice in many South Asian countries to eat with hands and that Gill’s wife probably uses the same way.
Danielle D’Souza Gill defends husband:
Danielle D’Souza Gill, however, supported her husband’s remarks, adding that she always uses cutlery while having food. Taking to X, she wrote, “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.”
Take a look at the posts:
This is not the first time Brandon Gill has earned the irk of the internet with his remarks. On June 9, the Republican Congressman from Texas’ 26th District denounced mass migration in a controversial post. In the share on X, he compared two pictures and added the caption, “California in 1960 vs California today.”
Indian-American lawmaker and renowned filmmaker Mira Nair’s son, Zohran Mamdani, created a stir in American politics with his win over rival Andrew Cuomo to secure the primary victory in the NYC mayoral race. The former mayor of NYC, Cuomo, conceded to Mamdani after the 33-year-old gained commanding leads across various regions.
