New Delhi [India], January 2 : BJP leader Gourav Vallabh on Friday said that an investigation must be launched into Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's visits abroad, which propels foreign leaders to "interfere in Indian matters", referring to New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani's letter on Umar Khalid.
Vallabh, while talking to ANI, referred to Mamdani's letter on Umar Khalid, an accused in the North East Delhi riots larger Conspiracy case.
He said, "I would urge the Mayor of New York that he lives in America, he should talk about America and not interfere in any way in India's internal matters because India will not tolerate it.. No work will be done in the country based on your letter, pressure, or narrative-building. Whenever LoP Rahul Gandhi goes abroad, such letters come. There should be an investigation into who he meets and what he tells them, which leads people to send such letters to India. This matter should be investigated."
After Mamdani wrote the letter, eight US lawmakers have now written a letter urging the Indian Government to grant Khalid a fair trial as per international law.
https://x.com/RepMcGovern/status/2006129963057951133?s=20
Ranking Member of the House Rules Committee and Co-chair of the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission, Democrat Jim McGovern, who represents the 2nd District of Massachusetts, and seven other lawmakers penned the letter addressed to India's Ambassador to the US-Vinay Kwatra.
As per the letter, McGovern and others had met Umar Khalid's parents earlier in December.
In a post on X, McGovern said, earlier this month, I met with the parents of Umar Khalid, who has been jailed in India for over 5 years without trial. Representative Raskin and I are leading our colleagues to urge that he be granted bail and a fair, timely trial in accordance with international law."
In the note, Mamdani said, "I think of your words on bitterness often, and the importance of not letting it consume one. It was a pleasure to meet your parents. We are all thinking of you."
Recently, the Karkardooma Court in Delhi granted provisional bail to Umar Khalid to attend his sister's wedding. Khalid's sister, Ayesha Fatima Syed, got married on December 27, and he was granted interim bail from December 16 to December 29.
Umar Khalid has been charge-sheeted in the riots conspiracy case under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA). His bail plea is pending before the Supreme Court.