India has criticized New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani for sending a note of solidarity to jailed activist Umar Khalid. The Ministry of External Affairs stated that public representatives should respect the independence of the judiciary in other democracies and avoid expressing personal prejudices. MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal advised Mamdani to focus on his responsibilities. Mamdani, of Indian origin, conveyed his thoughts to Khalid through a handwritten note passed to his parents during their visit to the US in December. Khalid remains in jail, having been denied bail by the Supreme Court in connection with the 2020 Delhi riots case.