Kajal Hindustani, a Hindutva leader from Gujarat, made controversial remarks against Muslims while speaking at an event in New York. During her speech, she referred to Muslims as “zombies” and “enemies of Hindus,” and even compared them to the demon Mahishasura from Hindu mythology.
At the Hindu Unity Conference in New York, Kajal said, “If we have to fight the zombies, we must do it together,” referring to Muslims. She also questioned the growing population of Muslims in India and claimed, “Abduls will occupy the bungalows you build,” using a common stereotype to stoke fear among Hindus.
She further alleged that Muslims have “multiple children like soldiers” and claimed they are building an “army” through high birth rates.Kajal also attacked Muslim actors like Salman Khan and Saif Ali Khan, accusing them of trapping Hindu women. Speaking about Saif’s children, she said, “Taimur and Jehangir, Sara and Ibrahim – they are part of a conspiracy to convert Hindu girls.”
When faced with protests against her visit to the United States, Kajal responded by saying, “It’s everyone’s America. It doesn’t belong to the fathers of Mullahs,” using the word “Mullah” in a derogatory manner aimed at Muslims.
Her statements sparked protests from various religious groups in the U.S., including Muslims, Christians, Sikhs, and Hindus. Organisations like the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the Indian American Muslim Council, and the Sikh Coalition had earlier called for the cancellation of her events.
Kajal also claimed that Muslim men receive financial support from oil-rich countries and from sources within India to lure Hindu women. She said she had been jailed earlier in India for “fighting for Hindutva” and continues to push ideas like “love jihad” and “land jihad.”
While her speech received applause from some Indian-Americans attending the event, many condemned it as hate speech. New York Mayor Eric Adams, who was originally expected to attend, skipped the event after learning about the widespread opposition to Kajal’s visit from different religious communities.
In her speech, Kajal said, “Only Chhatrapati Shivaji’s ideology can make India a true Hindu nation,” claiming that Hindus are not safe in the country otherwise.
