‘Sab theek hai’: Harsh Goenka takes a dig at Indians ignoring local issues like potholes, jobs, and price rise

Industrialist Harsh Goenka has sparked a conversation online after his latest post on X (formerly Twitter), where he criticized the tendency of Indians to obsess over international politics while ignoring pressing domestic issues like potholes, joblessness, and inflation.

In his post, Goenka wrote: “We are like: Two people eat lunch in another country — we feel betrayed. Someone wins an election for a local position in a far away country — we lose sleep. Meanwhile, potholes, unemployment and price hikes at home? ‘Sab theek hai.’”

His sarcastic commentary came shortly after Zohran Mamdani, a 32-year-old Ugandan-born Indian American, made history by becoming the first South Asian to win a major-party primary for New York City’s mayoral race.



Goenka’s post resonated with many, drawing strong reactions from users on X.

One user replied, “Harshji, you keep bowling googlies — picking your deliveries is tough!”
Another added, “Absolutely! We’re so obsessed with global affairs, even the media is. Developed nations don’t care what happens here, but we are glued to their politics. Media should focus more on local issues.”

Others echoed similar thoughts:

“Agree. How does someone winning a New York mayoral primary affect us? We act like global citizens while ignoring our neighborhoods. No one even asks what happened to Swachh Bharat or the cess we keep paying.”
“We’re global now. Local issues didn’t make the itinerary,” quipped another.

Who is Zohran Mamdani?

Zohran Kwame Mamdani was born in Kampala, Uganda, to Indian parents. He became a U.S. citizen in 2018 and currently lives in Astoria, Queens. His mother, Mira Nair, is a celebrated filmmaker known for movies like Monsoon Wedding, The Namesake, and Mississippi Masala. His father, Mahmood Mamdani, is a professor of anthropology at Columbia University.

Mamdani moved to New York City at age 7 and graduated from Bowdoin College in Maine with a degree in Africana Studies. He previously worked as a foreclosure prevention counselor and also made a mark in the local hip-hop scene, rapping under the stage name Young Cardamom.

He was elected to the New York State Assembly in 2020, unseating a long-time incumbent. As a Democratic Socialist, Mamdani has pushed for progressive legislation, including a pilot project offering free city bus rides and a bill to prevent nonprofits from supporting unauthorized Israeli settlement activities.

Critics, including former Governor Andrew Cuomo, have questioned his readiness for the mayor’s office. But Mamdani counters by embracing his lack of political baggage, stating he’s “proud” not to have Cuomo’s “experience of corruption, scandal and disgrace.”

Mamdani’s campaign has leaned heavily on creative, culturally rooted digital outreach — from Bollywood-themed TikToks to a dramatic polar plunge in a suit to symbolize his plan to “freeze rents.”