Chicago – November 08, 2025
An old video of Zohran Mamdani, now the Mayor of New York City, has resurfaced online, showing him reading a letter by jailed Indian activist Umar Khalid during a 2023 event on democracy and dissent in India.
The clip is from the ‘Howdy, Democracy?!’ gathering in New York, held just before Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the White House in June 2023. The event, focused on civil liberties and free speech in India, featured activists and diaspora voices discussing political repression and human rights.
Introducing the letter, Mamdani told the audience he would read from Khalid’s prison writings. “He’s a scholar and former student activist from Jawaharlal Nehru University, jailed under India’s anti-terror law for more than 1,000 days without trial,” he said, adding that Khalid had survived an assassination attempt and continued to advocate against hate and mob violence.
The resurfaced video has reignited conversation about Mamdani’s outspoken views on Indian politics. The New York mayor, who traces his roots to Gujarat, has often drawn controversy for his criticism of the Indian government. Earlier this year, he compared Prime Minister Modi to Israeli leader Benjamin Netanyahu, arguing both represented exclusionary nationalism.
When questioned in 2023 about sharing a stage with Modi during a diaspora rally at Madison Square Garden, Mamdani rejected the idea, citing the 2002 Gujarat riots and saying it would conflict with his human rights principles.
Meanwhile, Umar Khalid remains in custody under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act) for his alleged role in the 2020 Delhi riots conspiracy case, alongside several other activists including Sharjeel Imam, Khalid Saifi, Gulfisha Fatima, Meeran Haider and others. Prosecutors claim they orchestrated protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act that turned violent, charges all have denied. Most have spent over four years in prison without trial, their bail pleas repeatedly rejected by both the Delhi High Court and the Supreme Court, despite growing concerns over prolonged detention and weak evidence as well as intolerance towards democratic dissent in Modi’s India.
The video’s revival comes as Mamdani’s political profile soars globally, with analysts noting how his advocacy for justice and civil rights at home and abroad continues to shape his public image.
