BJP accuses Rahul Gandhi of backing anti-India campaigns after US lawmakers urge fair trial for Umar Khalid, India-US political tension rises.

New Delhi: After Zohran Mamdani, the newly elected mayor of New York City, expressed support for imprisoned activist Umar Khalid, the political dispute between the United States and India grew more heated. Soon after, eight US legislators sent a letter to the Indian embassy requesting that Khalid be given a prompt and fair trial. In a fierce response, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) claimed that Congressman Rahul Gandhi was connected to an anti-Indian campaign being planned from American territory.

The BJP associates Rahul Gandhi with the stance of US politicians.

Rahul Gandhi’s 2024 meeting with US lawmaker Janice Schakowsky was cited by the BJP as another evidence of the Congress leader’s alleged “anti-India” connections abroad. Schakowsky is one of the lawmakers who have called on the Indian government to release Khalid, who was detained in connection with the 2020 Delhi riots.

A picture of Gandhi with Schakowsky and Ilhan Omar was shared by BJP spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari. He claimed that India’s prestige is harmed by these international affiliations. “One name keeps coming up in the background whenever an anti-Indian narrative is promoted overseas: Rahul Gandhi. On X, Bhandari stated, “Those who seek to undermine India, discredit its elected government, and weaken its anti-terror laws seem to inevitably converge around him.” The BJP’s timeline

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Gandhi spoke with Schakowsky and Omar at the same time that foreign lawmakers were pursuing legislation against India, according to Bhandari. He cited Schakowsky’s January 2025 proposal of the “Combating International Islamophobia Act,” which he claimed “explicitly” included India and expressed alarm over purported “crackdowns on Muslim communities.”

In an effort to make connections, he said that Schakowsky wrote to the Indian government once more in 2026, demanding that Khalid be granted bail and that a trial be held “in accordance with international law.” The letter also called for Khalid’s co-accused, who is still incarcerated, to be treated fairly.

VHP and BJP accuse Mamdani of meddling.

By publishing a note expressing solidarity with Khalid, New York Mayor Mamdani was accused by the BJP of going too far and meddling in India’s domestic affairs. Questions were raised about Mamdani’s locus standi by BJP national spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia, who also issued a warning: “If India’s sovereignty is challenged, 140 crore Indians will stand united under the Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership.” He claimed that Indians have “complete faith” in the legal system.

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Mamdani was also harshly criticized by the Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP). The mayor was accused by the VHP of insulting the Quran by openly endorsing “criminals who talk about dividing India.” Banojyotsna Lahiri, Khalid’s partner, posted the note that caused the issue on X with the comment, “Words spread while prisons attempt to isolate. A letter from Zohran Mamdani to Umar Khalid.

“To Umar, I frequently think about what you said about bitterness and how important it is to avoid letting it control oneself. Meeting your folks was nice. Everyone is keeping you in mind. Mamdani’s handwritten message read.

US politicians want Khalid to have a fair trial.

Recently, a number of US congressmen wrote to Vinay Kwatra, India’s ambassador to the US, requesting that Khalid be tried fairly and promptly in accordance with “international law.” The BJP claims that their engagement involved concerted lobbying from overseas, which has led to a new dispute amongst India’s political factions.