Umar Khalid’s father recalls meeting Zohran Mamdani in US ahead of activist’s bail
New Delhi: Days before jailed activist Umar Khalid was granted a 14-day bail to attend his sister’s wedding, his father, Syed Qasim Rasool Ilyas, met New York Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani in the United States and discussed Khalid’s prolonged incarceration.
Ilyas in an exclusive interview to NDTV, said he met Mamdani on December 9 for around 25 minutes. The meeting was sought by Ilyas to thank Mamdani for reading Khalid’s jail diary in 2023 and for expressing solidarity with him, NDTV reported on Saturday.
"He said he always thinks about Umar's incarceration and that he must get bail now," Ilyas recalled, adding that Mamdani drew parallels between himself and Khalid for raising issues concerning common people.
During the meeting, Mamdani reportedly wrote a letter to Khalid. “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,” said the note signed by Mamdani.
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Ilyas, who is also a spokesperson of the All-India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB), said that when Mamdani asked if he could help further, he replied, “Just pray.” Ilyas said that he was present during the recent arguments in the Supreme Court and hoped that something positive would unfold soon.
Mamdani's letter stirred controversy with BJP leader Gaurav Bhatia calling the case against Khalid an internal matter of India.
Umar Khalid has been in jail for nearly five years in connection with the February 2020 Delhi riots, in which 53 people were killed. He was granted interim bail from December 16 to 29 to attend his sister’s wedding.
US Representatives Jim McGovern and Jamie Raskin and six other lawmakers wrote to the Indian Ambassador to the US Vinay Kwatra, expressing concern regarding the "prolonged pre-trial detention of individuals charged in connection with the February 2020 violence in Delhi,” including Khalid.
The lawmakers said that human rights organisations, legal experts and international media had raised questions about the fairness of the investigation and legal process in Khalid’s case.
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Heavy rain, hailstorms lash parts of Uttarakhand; all districts put on high alert
Dehradun (PTI): Heavy rain and hailstorms accompanied by strong winds lashed several districts of Uttarakhand on Sunday morning, prompting the state administration to put all district authorities on high alert.
The sudden change in weather caused uprooted trees to block roads and disrupted power supply at various locations.
Disaster Management and Rehabilitation Secretary Vinod Kumar Suman chaired a review meeting with district officials to assess the situation.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast light to moderate rain and thunderstorms at most places across all districts for Monday and Tuesday. Snowfall is expected in regions situated at altitudes of 4,000 metres and above.
An 'orange alert' remains in place for Dehradun, Haridwar, Tehri, Pauri, Nainital, Champawat, and Udham Singh Nagar. These districts are likely to witness isolated heavy rain, hailstorms, and intense to very intense spells of rain accompanied by gusty winds reaching speeds of 40-50 kmph, the IMD said.
The weather office predicted that maximum temperatures across the state are likely to fall by 3-5 degrees Celsius over the next three to four days. During the past 24 hours, maximum temperatures remained "markedly below normal" in the plains and ranged from "markedly" to "appreciably" below normal in the hilly regions.
Dehradun experienced dark, overcast skies early Sunday, creating night-like conditions during morning hours. The city recorded a maximum temperature of 34.7 degrees Celsius, 5.3 degrees Celsius below the seasonal average.
For the state capital, the forecast predicts a partly to generally cloudy sky with a high of 31 degrees Celsius and a low of 19 degrees Celsius.
Significant rainfall was recorded across the state after 8.30 am on Sunday, with Jollygrant receiving 21.6 mm and Mohakampur recording 19.8 mm. Other areas, including Mukteshwar (15.0 mm), Mussoorie (13.4 mm), and Pithoragarh (8.5 mm), also saw measurable precipitation.
Secretary Suman directed officials to clear blocked roads on priority to ensure public convenience. Specific instructions were issued regarding the Char Dham Yatra, ordering that helicopter services must operate strictly according to weather conditions to ensure pilgrims' safety.
Isolated places in the remaining hilly districts are also expected to experience thunderstorms with lightning and intense rain spells.
