Ashoka University Professor Arrested for Social Media Comments on Operation Sindoor
Ashoka University Professor Arrested Over Operation Sindoor Remarks
Ali Khan Mahmudabad, an associate professor at Ashoka University, was arrested on Sunday for his social media comments regarding Operation Sindoor, India’s recent military strikes against terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. The arrest has sparked controversy and raised questions about freedom of speech.
Who is Ali Khan Mahmudabad?
Mahmudabad, 42, heads the Department of Political Science at Ashoka University in Sonipat, Haryana. He comes from a prominent political and royal lineage. His father, Mohammad Amir Mohammad Khan, was known as the Raja Saheb of Mahmudabad and fought a legal battle over properties seized under the Enemy Properties Act. Mahmudabad’s grandfather, Mohammad Amir Ahmad Khan, was the last ruling Raja of Mahmudabad and a figure of influence in the Muslim League before India’s partition.
Mahmudabad has an impressive academic background, studying at prestigious institutions like King’s College School and Winchester College in the UK, earning his MPhil and PhD from the University of Cambridge, and studying Arabic at the University of Damascus in Syria. His work has appeared in publications like National Geographic, and he is known as a poet, writer, and commentator on contemporary political issues. He briefly joined the Samajwadi Party in 2017.
What Sparked the Arrest?
The controversy erupted from Mahmudabad’s social media posts on May 8, a day after India launched Operation Sindoor in response to the killing of 26 civilians in Pahalgam. In his post, Mahmudabad highlighted the perceived irony of Hindutva commentators praising Colonel Sofiya Qureshi, a Muslim woman officer involved in the military press briefing. The Haryana State Commission for Women took suo motu cognizance of his remarks, accusing him of undermining the dignity of women in the armed forces and promoting communal disharmony. He was summoned days before his arrest.
Mahmudabad has responded by stating that his remarks were “misunderstood,” and described the summons as part of a “new form of censorship and harassment.”
University Response
Ashoka University has maintained a cautious stance, stating: “We have been made aware that Prof. Ali Khan Mahmudabad has been taken into police custody. We are in the process of ascertaining details. The University will continue to cooperate fully.”
Charges and Next Steps
Mahmudabad faces charges under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, including provisions for inciting rebellion, disturbing communal harmony, and insulting religious sentiments. The Haryana Police have confirmed his arrest but have not released further details. The situation is ongoing, and it remains to be seen how the legal proceedings will unfold.
