The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Wednesday alleged that Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has links with what it termed an “anti-India” lobby abroad, after a group of US lawmakers wrote to the Indian government seeking a “fair and timely trial” for activist Umar Khalid.
The BJP claimed that repeated international interventions on India’s internal issues point to a pattern aimed at tarnishing the country’s image and weakening its institutions.
BJP leader Pradeep Bhandari referred to a 2024 meeting between Rahul Gandhi and US Representative Jan Schakowsky, one of the signatories to the letter.
Sharing photographs from the meeting, Bhandari alleged that leaders critical of India’s policies and laws often engage with Gandhi, helping amplify narratives against India on global platforms.
Contents of the US lawmakers’ letter
The row follows a letter written by eight US Representatives, including Jan Schakowsky, Rashida Tlaib and Indian-origin Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal, to Indian Ambassador Vinay Mohan Kwatra.
The lawmakers expressed concern over the prolonged pre-trial detention of individuals accused in the February 2020 Delhi riots, including Umar Khalid.
They said the US and India, as the world’s largest democracies, share a commitment to democratic values, human rights and the rule of law, and cited concerns raised by human rights organisations and legal experts over the legal process.
Umar Khalid and the Delhi riots case
Umar Khalid has been in judicial custody for nearly five years under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) for his alleged role in the 2020 Delhi riots, which left 53 people dead and over 700 injured.
The matter remains sub judice, with Indian authorities maintaining that the case is proceeding strictly in accordance with law.
 on Wednesday alleged that Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has links with what it termed an “anti-India” lobby abroad.){kind=link}