‘We are all thinking of you…’: New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani writes short note to jailed student activist Umar Khalid

Umar Khalid, a student activist arrested over five years ago in relation to the 2020 Delhi riots, has received support from New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani. India(BHARAT)n-origin politician Zohran Mamdani wrote a letter to Khalid stating, “We are all thinking of you.” This letter was undated and posted on X by Khalid’s partner, Banojyotsna Lahiri, at the same time Mamdani was being sworn in as mayor during a midnight ceremony.

What did the note from Mamdani say to Umar Khalid?

Earlier on Thursday, Mamdani was sworn-in as New York City Mayor by Senator Bernie Sanders, just hours after he took the oath of office in a private ceremony held at the turn of the new year in an old subway station here. The 34-year-old Queens state assemblyman became the first South Asian and Muslim elected to the helm of the largest city in the US. He was sworn in at the old City Hall subway station by New York Attorney General Letitia James at a private ceremony attended only by his family and close advisers, held around the stroke of midnight as the city ushered in the new year.

Khalid’s father has provided further explanation regarding the letter’s origin. “Dear Umar, I think of your words on bitterness often, and the importance of not letting it consume oneself. It was a pleasure to meet your parents. We are all thinking of you,” reads the short handwritten note.

Umar Khalid’s father, Syed Qasim Rasool Ilyas, told the Times of India(BHARAT) (TOI) that the family had actually come to America in early December of last year to visit Khalid’s sister during which they met Mayor Joharan Mamdani. Ilyas said that they had requested time to congratulate Mamdani on his appointment, and eventually, they spent about half an hour with him and his wife.

 

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Mamdani is the son of renowned filmmaker Mira Nair and Columbia University professor Mahmood Mamdani. He was born and raised in Kampala, Uganda and moved to New York City with his family when he was 7. Mamdani became a naturalised US citizen only recently, in 2018.

As per the news agency IANS report, the Delhi court on Thursday granted interim bail to former JNU scholar and jailed student activist Umar Khalid to attend his sister’s wedding, even as the Supreme Court has yet to deliver its verdict on his regular bail plea in the 2020 North-East Delhi riots “larger conspiracy” case.

Additional Sessions Judge (ASJ) Sameer Bajpai of the Karkardooma Courts allowed Khalid’s plea for interim bail from December 16 to 29, subject to strict conditions, including a bar on using social media.

Who is Umar Khalid, and why is he in jail?

Khalid, who has been in jail since September 2020 under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) and various IPC provisions, sought temporary release to attend his sister’s wedding ceremonies. Granting the interim bail, the court directed him to furnish a personal bond of Rs 20,000 along with two sureties of the same amount. It is to be noted that eight U.S. lawmakers have now written a letter urging the India(BHARAT)n Government to grant Khalid a fair trial as per international law, as per ANI report.