Zohran Mamdani’s 2023 speech reading Umar Khalid’s letter resurfaces online
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New York: A video of Zohran Mamdani, the newly elected Mayor of New York City, reading a letter written by jailed Indian activist Umar Khalid during a 2023 event has resurfaced online, drawing renewed attention amid his recent political rise.
The incident took place at the ‘Howdy, Democracy?!’ event in New York, held ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the White House in June 2023. The programme focused on democracy and civil liberties in India.
Introducing the letter, Mamdani told the audience, “I’m going to be reading a letter from Umar Khalid, who is a scholar and a former student activist at the Jawaharlal Nehru University in Delhi… who organised a campaign against lynching and hate. He has been in jail for more than 1,000 days under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act and has yet to face trial, though his bail application has been repeatedly denied. He has also faced an assassination attempt.”
The letter, from Khalid’s prison diary, was read aloud as part of a session highlighting concerns about dissent and human rights in India.
Mamdani, who is of Gujarati origin, has previously drawn criticism for his political comments on India. Earlier this year, he faced backlash for comparing Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during a separate public event.
When asked about the possibility of sharing a platform with Modi during the Indian leader’s Madison Square Garden event, Mamdani had referenced the 2002 Gujarat riots, saying such an appearance would not align with his stance on human rights.
Umar Khalid, meanwhile, remains in judicial custody. Arrested in September 2020 for allegedly making inflammatory speeches and being part of a conspiracy linked to the 2020 Delhi riots, he has spent over four years in prison without trial. His bail plea, rejected by both the trial court and the Delhi High Court, was listed for hearing before the Supreme Court on Thursday.
A video from 2023 from a gathering in New York ahead of the PM Modi's visit to the US in 2023 where Zohran Mamdani reads Umar Khalid's Notes from Jail. pic.twitter.com/yiGQCCgiyw
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Mangaluru: Teacher booked for allegedly beating student in school
Vittla (Dakshina Kannada): A case has been registered at the Vittla Police Station against a school teacher on charges of seriously assaulting a student with a cane at an English-medium school in Idkidu village here near Vittla in Dakshina Kannada district.
According to the complaint, the student, who attends the school regularly, had gone to school as usual. Around 2 pm, the child’s parents received a call from the school office stating that their child had allegedly disturbed other students. The school informed them that when the teacher scolded the student over the issue, the child became frightened and urinated, and the parents were asked to come and take the child home.
The parents reportedly told the school staff that no one was at home at the time and requested that the child be sent home in an autorickshaw.
After returning home, the student told the parents that a teacher identified as Istikaar had beaten him severely on the hand with a cane. The child also said that he urinated out of fear while the assault was taking place.
When the parents contacted the teacher over the phone to question him about the incident, he allegedly responded in a dismissive manner.
Following this, the parents lodged complaints with the Vittla Police Station and the Child Development Project Office, seeking justice and strict action against the teacher for allegedly assaulting the child without any valid reason.
Police have registered a case against the teacher and have taken up further investigation.
