Indian Government Responds to New York Mayor's Note to Jailed Activist Umar Khalid

Government's Reaction to Mayor's Gesture

In response to New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani's note addressed to imprisoned activist Umar Khalid, the Indian government emphasized the importance of respecting judicial independence in democratic nations. During a press briefing, Ministry of External Affairs Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal remarked, “Public officials should refrain from expressing personal biases. It would be more appropriate for them to concentrate on their designated responsibilities.”

On January 1, Khalid’s partner, Banojyotsna Lahiri, revealed on social media that Mamdani had sent a handwritten note to Khalid, which was delivered to his parents during their visit to the U.S. in December.

In his message, Mamdani expressed that he often reflects on Khalid’s insights regarding bitterness and the necessity of not allowing it to dominate one’s life. The note concluded with the sentiment, “We are all thinking of you.”

Lahiri shared this note on social media coinciding with Mamdani's inauguration as New York's mayor. She mentioned that Khalid’s parents were in the U.S. to visit one of their daughters ahead of a family wedding.

Earlier in 2023, Mamdani had publicly read excerpts from a letter written by Khalid at a New York event, where the activist shared his thoughts on maintaining a positive outlook despite his situation.

Khalid has been in custody since September 2020, facing charges under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act related to the violent clashes in February 2020 in North East Delhi, which resulted in 53 fatalities and numerous injuries, predominantly among Muslims.

The police allege that the violence was orchestrated as part of a broader conspiracy aimed at discrediting the Narendra Modi administration, implicating those who organized protests against the amended Citizenship Act.

On Monday, the Supreme Court denied bail to Khalid and fellow activist Sharjeel Imam, while granting bail to five others. The court indicated that Khalid and Imam could reapply for bail after all protected witnesses have been examined or after a year.

The court noted that there were reasonable grounds to suspect that the actions of Khalid and Imam could be classified as terrorist acts under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act.

On December 30, U.S. Congressman James P. McGovern and seven other lawmakers expressed their concerns to the Indian Ambassador regarding the extended pre-trial detention of individuals charged in connection with the 2020 Delhi riots, including Khalid.

In their correspondence, they highlighted that human rights organizations and legal experts have raised questions about the fairness of the investigation and legal proceedings. They pointed out that independent inquiries found no evidence linking Khalid to terrorist activities.

The letter emphasized that Khalid has not been convicted of any crime, yet his pre-trial treatment has been punitive in nature.

On January 2, the Bharatiya Janata Party criticized Mamdani for allegedly meddling in India's internal matters following his note to Khalid. During a press conference, party spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia stated that the nation would not accept any external support for an accused individual or comments on its internal affairs.

“Every Indian citizen has complete trust in the judiciary,” he asserted, without directly naming Mamdani or Khalid. “Who is an outsider to question our democracy and judiciary? Especially in support of someone who seeks to disrupt India? This is unacceptable...”