The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has issued a sharp rebuke to New York City's newly sworn-in Mayor, Zohran Mamdani, over a personal note he wrote to incarcerated former JNU student leader Umar Khalid. The MEA spokesperson, Randhir Jaiswal, stated on Friday that expressing personal prejudices does not behove those in public office.
The Controversial Note and MEA's Strong Reaction
The diplomatic friction began when a photograph of a hand-written note from Mayor Mamdani to Umar Khalid was shared on social media platform X last week. The note was posted by Khalid's partner, Banojyotsna Lahiri, on the very day Mamdani assumed office as the Mayor of New York.
In his message, Mamdani referenced Khalid's thoughts on bitterness, writing, "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."
Responding to this, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal delivered a pointed statement. "We expect public representatives to be respectful of the independence of judiciary in other democracies. Expressing personal prejudices do not behove those in office. Instead of such comments, it would be better to focus on the responsibilities entrusted to them," Jaiswal asserted on January 9, 2026.
Background of the Case and Mamdani's Previous Involvement
Umar Khalid has been in jail for six years in connection with the 2020 Northeast Delhi riots. The violence, which occurred between February 23 and February 25, 2020, resulted in 53 deaths and over 700 injuries. Khalid and 17 others face allegations of being part of a "larger conspiracy" to instigate the riots.
This is not the first time Zohran Mamdani has publicly engaged with Khalid's case. In 2023, at an event in New York, Mamdani read aloud excerpts from a letter Khalid had written from prison. The recent note followed a meeting in early December 2025 between Mamdani and Khalid's parents, Sahiba Khanam and Syed Qasim Rasool Ilyas, who were visiting the United States for a family wedding.
Khalid was granted a two-week interim bail in December 2025 to attend his sister's wedding, marking his third temporary release from custody.
Political Repercussions and the Principle of Non-Interference
The MEA's statement underscores a core principle of India's foreign policy: non-interference in internal judicial matters. By invoking the "independence of judiciary," the Indian government has framed Mamdani's personal note as an inappropriate commentary on an ongoing domestic legal process.
The reaction aligns with earlier criticism from India's ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which had also condemned the NYC Mayor's actions, stating it "won’t tolerate interference in internal matter." The episode highlights the delicate balance international figures must maintain when commenting on sensitive legal cases abroad, especially those with significant political dimensions.
The swift and firm response from New Delhi indicates that such personal gestures by foreign dignitaries, when perceived as commentary on India's legal system, will be met with formal diplomatic disapproval.
