New Delhi: A wave of outrage has followed the arrest of Ashoka University Professor Ali Khan Mahmudabad. The Supreme Court agreed to urgently hear a petition challenging his arrest, possibly as early as Tuesday. Professor Mahmudabad, head of the university’s political science department, was arrested by Haryana police on Sunday for a Facebook post that allegedly criticised the Indian military operation “Sindoor” and its portrayal in the media.
The arrest stems from two complaints, one filed by the Haryana State Commission for Women, that many believe misinterpret Mahmudabad’s post. The post did not directly criticise Operation Sindoor itself or the women officers who briefed the media about it. Instead, it highlighted the contrast between the praise received by the women officers and the lack of protection afforded to victims of hate crimes and violence in India.
An excerpt from the post reads: “I am very happy to see so many right-wing commentators applauding Colonel Sophia Qureshi, but perhaps they could also equally loudly demand that the victims of mob lynchings, arbitrary bulldozing, and others who are victims of the BJP’s hate mongering be protected as Indian citizens. The optics of two women soldiers presenting their findings is important, but optics must translate to reality on the ground, otherwise it’s just hypocrisy.”
The Haryana State Commission for Women claimed Mahmudabad’s remarks undermined women officers and fomented communal discord, leading to two FIRs filed against him under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), including those related to endangering national unity and integrity and insulting the modesty of a woman.
Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for Professor Mahmudabad, argued before Chief Justice of India Bhushan R Gavai that the professor was being targeted for patriotic comments. “A professor at Ashoka University has been proceeded against entirely for patriotic comments. I want the matter to be listed urgently.”
The swift arrest contrasts sharply with the perceived inaction of Madhya Pradesh police regarding comments made by a state minister that communalised the role of one of the women officers involved in Operation Sindoor. The Supreme Court, earlier on Monday, dismissed the minister’s apology and ordered a Special Investigation Team to investigate the matter.
The arrest has drawn widespread condemnation, with Ashoka University’s faculty association issuing a statement denouncing the “calculated harassment” of Professor Mahmudabad. “We condemn the calculated harassment to which Professor Mahmudabad has been subjected: after being arrested early in the morning from his home in New Delhi, he was taken to Sonipat, not allowed access to necessary medication, and driven around for hours without any communication about his whereabouts,” association said in a statement.
Highlighting his contributions to academia and his commitment to responsible citizenship, the association further said, “Professor Mahmudabad is well-versed in diverse literary and linguistic traditions and is a widely acclaimed expert and scholar of history and political science in South Asia and beyond. In all of his writing, both for academic and wider public fora, he has emphasized the importance of justice, pluralism, and solidarity, and has always advocated a profound respect for Constitutional values and morality.”
