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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4 workers die after being buried under coal slurry in Jharkhand's Dhanbad
Dhanbad (Jharkhand) (PTI): At least four workers died after being buried under coal slurry in Jharkhand's Dhanbad district on Saturday, a police official said.
The incident took place at Moonidih coal washery in the command area of Bharat Coking Coal Limited (BCCL).
"Bodies of all four workers were dug out of debris during a rescue operation," Putki police station in-charge Waqar Hussain told PTI.
The incident took place when coal slurry was being loaded into trucks by workers, during which a large chunk of slurry fell and trapped several workers underneath, officials said.
The deceased have been identified as Manik Bauri, Dinesh Bauri, Deepak Bauri, and Hemlal Gope.
Meanwhile, the family members of the deceased and local villagers placed the bodies in front of the washery gate and began a protest.
They demanded compensation, jobs for dependents and action against those responsible for the incident.
Police and administration officials are trying to pacify the protesters, an official said.
