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Respect judiciary, India tells New York mayor Zohran Mamdani on Umar Khalid note
Mamdani, who is of Indian origin, had handed over a handwritten note expressing solidarity with Khalid when he met the activist’s parents in the US in December.
New Delhi: India on Friday responded to New York City mayor Zohran Mamdani writing a note to jailed activist Umar Khalid, saying public representatives should respect the independence of the judiciary in other democracies.
Mamdani, who is of Indian origin, had handed over a handwritten note expressing solidarity with Khalid when he met the activist’s parents in the US in December.
The note said Mamdani often thought of Khalid’s words on bitterness and the “importance of not letting it consume oneself”.
When external affairs ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal was asked about the matter at a weekly media briefing, he replied: “We expect public representatives to be respectful of the independence of the judiciary in other democracies.
“Expressing personal prejudices does not behove those in office. Instead of such comments, it would be better to focus on the responsibilities entrusted to them,” Jaiswal added.
Khalid has been denied bail since he was arrested by the Delhi Police in September 2020.
He was booked under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act in a case related to clashes in northeast Delhi in February 2020 between supporters of the Citizenship Amendment Act and those opposing the law. The clashes left 53 dead and hundreds injured or displaced.
Police have claimed the violence was part of a conspiracy to defame the central government. The Supreme Court this week denied bail to Khalid and Sharjeel Imam, another activist charged in the same case.
