Political scientist and associate professor at Ashoka University, Ali Khan Mahmudabad, was arrested on Sunday, May 18, for his remarks on Operation Sindoor.
The arrest was made based on a complaint filed by the general secretary of Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) Yuva Morcha in Haryana, Yogesh Jatheri. Khan was booked under sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) pertaining to inciting armed rebellion or subversive activities and insulting religious beliefs and disturbing communal harmony.
Remarks on Operation Sindoor
On May 8, the professor took to social media, highlighting the irony of right-wing groups praising Colonel Sofiya Qureshi. The senior Army officer along with Wing Commander Vyomika Singh of the Indian Air Force, briefed the media and the international community about Operation Sindoor, launched on May 7 as India’s response to the Pahalgam terror attack.
“Perhaps they could also equally loudly demand that the victims of mob lynchings, arbitrary bulldozing, and others who are victims of the Bharatiya Janata Party’s hate mongering be protected as Indian citizens,” Khan remarked.
Reacting to the post, Haryana State Women’s Commission claimed that Khan’s comments on Colonel Sofya Qureshi’s press briefings “disparaged women officers in the Indian armed forces and promoted communal disharmony.”
Additionally, the commissioner also accused the professor that his posts allegedly pointing at “genocide”, “dehumanisation” and “hypocrisy.”
According to a report by Maktoob Media, Khan defended his remarks and stated it was “completely misunderstood” by the commission.
He said, “I applauded the Indian armed forces. However, the commission’s accusations are a complete misuse of my fundamental right to free speech. This is a new form of censorship and harassment, which invents issues where there are none.”
An open letter signed by 1,200 people, including academics, politicians and civil servants, expressed solidarity with the professor. It demanded that the Haryana State Women’s Commission withdraw its summons to Khan and apologise to him for “deliberately and maliciously slandering him.”
Meanwhile, Ashoka University has distanced itself from the professor’s statements. “The comments made by a faculty member on his personal social media pages do not represent the opinion of the university,” the statement said. It added that the university stands firmly with the nation and its armed forces.
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