India slams New York Mayor Mamdani

New York City Mayor Zohrab Mamdani has written a letter to Umar Khalid, a student leader and human rights activist who has been imprisoned in India for five years without trial. New Delhi has slammed Mamdani for this. India's Ministry of External Affairs has said that elected representatives should focus on their own responsibilities rather than commenting on the internal affairs of other countries.

A report by Middle East Eye on Thursday (January 9) said that New York Mayor Mamdani wrote a personal letter to Khalid after meeting his parents during their visit to the United States in December last year. When Khalid's parents recently published the letter, it went viral on various social media platforms including X, Instagram, and started a new debate on the issue.

"Regarding the comments made by the Mayor of New York City, we hope that the public representatives will respect the independence of the judiciary in democratic countries. Personal bias is not appropriate for anyone in a position of responsibility. It is better for them to focus on the duties entrusted to them rather than making such comments," Indian Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said in a statement.

Umar Khalid has been in prison without trial since September 2020. He was arrested on charges of involvement in the riots that took place in Delhi in February 2020. The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) has described Khalid as a victim of persecution for his stand on religious freedom. The organization has also recommended declaring India a 'Country of Particular Concern' due to intolerance towards religious minorities.

Khalid has been charged under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, or UAPA, also known as the anti-terror law, which allows for long-term detention without trial and makes it extremely difficult to obtain bail. India's Supreme Court this week also rejected Khalid's latest bail application.

Mamdani's letter read, "Dear Umar, I often remember your words about bitterness and I often think about what you said about the importance of not letting it affect you. It was nice to meet your parents. We are all thinking of you."

Eight US lawmakers have also written to Indian Ambassador Vinay Mohan Kwatra in this regard, urging him to grant bail and a fair trial to Umar Khalid in accordance with international law. The letter, dated December 30, was signed by Democratic Congressman Jim McGovern, along with Representatives Jamie Raskin, Pramila Jayapal, Jan Schakowsky, Lloyd Doggett and Rashida Tlaib, and Senators Chris Van Hollen and Peter Welch. Some of them also met with Khalid’s parents in December.

India’s 2020 Citizenship Amendment Act, which provides for fast-track citizenship for persecuted Hindus, Parsis, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains and Christians from Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan, has sparked nationwide protests over its exclusion of Muslims. A peaceful sit-in in Delhi was attacked by right-wing Hindutva groups, leading to deadly riots that left more than 50 people dead, most of them Muslims.

Delhi police arrested more than 2,000 people in the aftermath of the riots. Human rights groups have accused many student leaders and activists of bias against Muslims and of organizing violence. At least 18 student leaders and activists, including Umar Khalid, were arrested. Khalid was not released despite applying for bail multiple times over the past five years.

International human rights organizations have also repeatedly demanded his release. While some of the accused were released on bail on January 5 this year, Khalid was not released. Amnesty International said in a statement, "We welcome the decision to grant bail to the co-accused, but the continued denial of bail to Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam is shameful. They have been detained without trial for more than five years on politically motivated charges. The charges against them should be dropped and they should be released unconditionally."