Professor Arrested for Criticizing Military Operation on Social Media
An associate professor at Ashoka University in Haryana, Ali Khan Mahmudabad, has been arrested following a social media post about Operation Sindoor, India’s military response to the Pahalgam terrorist attacks.
The Arrest
Mahmudabad, who heads the Political Science department, was taken into custody in Delhi after a complaint was filed by a member of the BJP’s youth wing. The Haryana State Commission for Women had also issued a notice to him regarding his remarks.
Mahmudabad’s Post and the Controversy
The Commission’s notice cited excerpts from Mahmudabad’s post, where he questioned the praise given to Colonel Sofia Qureshi by right-wing supporters. He suggested that those same individuals should also advocate for victims of mob lynchings and against the “arbitrary” demolition of homes. Mahmudabad maintains that his comments were misinterpreted.
Assistant Commissioner of Haryana Police (ACP) Ajeet Singh confirmed to PTI that the professor was arrested due to his remarks concerning Operation Sindoor.
Outcry and Support
The arrest has sparked a heated online debate, with numerous political leaders and academics voicing support for Mahmudabad. AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi condemned the action, stating that the professor’s post was neither anti-national nor misogynistic. He accused the police of targeting individuals for expressing their opinions.
CPI(M) Poliburo member Subhashini Ali also criticized the arrest, calling it “just shocking.”
The Women’s Commission’s Standpoint
The women’s panel had summoned Mahmudabad to appear before it on May 15th, but he failed to comply. In its notice, the commission asserted that Mahmudabad’s remarks misrepresented facts by repeatedly using terms like “genocide,” “dehumanisation,” and “hypocrisy,” thereby attributing malicious communal intent to the government and armed forces, inciting communal unrest, and attempting to disrupt internal harmony.
“We salute the country’s daughters — Colonel Sofia Qureshi and Wing Commander Vyomika Singh. But the kind of words the professor who teaches political science has used for them… I expected that he would at least present himself before the commission and express regret,” the commission chief, Renu Bhatia, said earlier.
Mahmudabad’s Explanation
However, Mahmudabad claimed that the commission had “misread” his comment.
“I am surprised that the Women’s Commission, while overreaching its jurisdiction, has misread and misunderstood my posts to such an extent that they have inverted their meaning,” he tweeted.
Ashoka University’s Response
Meanwhile, Ashoka University stated that it is currently verifying the details of the case and cooperating with the authorities.
“We have been made aware that Prof. Ali Khan Mahmudabad has been taken into police custody earlier today. We are in the process of ascertaining details of the case. The University will continue to cooperate with the Police and local authorities in the investigation, fully,” the university said in a statement.
The institute previously clarified that Mahmudabad made the comments in his “individual capacity” and that they do not represent the opinion of the institution.
