New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani wrote a handwritten letter to jailed activist Umar Khalid, which was shared publicly by Khalid’s partner and quickly went viral.
The letter comes amid growing international concern over Khalid’s prolonged pre-trial detention under the UAPA.
Mamdani’s gesture triggered sharp political reactions in India, with the BJP alleging foreign interference
New York City’s newly sworn-in mayor, Zohran Mamdani, has written a handwritten letter to jailed activist and former Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) student Umar Khalid. The letter, addressed to Khalid and shared publicly by his partner Bunojyotsana Lahiri, has sparked political reactions in India, including sharp criticism from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
In the undated note, Mamdani wrote, “Dear Umar, I think of your words on bitterness often, and the importance of not letting it consume one’s self. It was a pleasure to meet your parents. We are all thinking of you.” The letter was handed to Khalid’s parents, Sahiba Khanam and Syed Qasim Rasool Ilyas, when Mamdani met them during their visit to the United States in December 2025. A photograph of the note was posted on X on the day Mamdani was sworn in as mayor, drawing widespread attention.
Mamdani, 34, scripted history last year by becoming New York City’s first Indian-origin, Asian American, and Muslim mayor, as well as one of the youngest to hold the office. Khalid’s family said the meeting took place when his parents were in the US to visit their elder daughter, who was unable to travel to India for a family wedding.
Umar Khalid has been lodged in Delhi’s Tihar Jail since September 2020 under provisions of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), accused of conspiring to incite communal violence during the February 2020 Delhi riots. Khalid has consistently denied the charges. While he was discharged in one related FIR by the Delhi High Court, he continues to remain in custody in another UAPA case. His bail pleas have been rejected multiple times over the past five years. In December 2025, the Supreme Court reserved its judgment on his bail petition after concluding arguments. He was granted interim bail briefly to attend his sister’s wedding before surrendering back to jail.
The letter comes amid growing international scrutiny of Khalid’s prolonged pre-trial detention. Senior US lawmakers, including Jim McGovern and Jamie Raskin, wrote to India’s ambassador expressing concern over his incarceration without trial for more than five years. While reaffirming respect for India’s democratic institutions, they questioned the delay in judicial proceedings and warned that extended detention under anti-terror laws raises serious due process and civil liberties concerns.
McGovern later said on social media that he had also met Khalid’s parents in Washington. “Earlier this month, I met with the parents of Umar Khalid, who has been jailed in India for over five years without trial,” he wrote. Despite the concerns raised internationally, Indian authorities have maintained that the law is necessary to address terrorism and safeguard national security.
[Rh/VP]
Suggested Reading: