GURGAON: Ashoka University professor Ali Khan Mahmudabad was arrested on Sunday for allegedly making statements that “endangered India’s sovereignty and unity” in a social media post on Operation Sindoor. The arrest, which follows a complaint by Haryana State Women’s Commission chairperson Renu Bhatia, has sparked widespread criticism from the university’s faculty, who called it “calculated harassment.”
The FIR was registered at Rai police station in Sonipat, where Ashoka University is located. The case stems from Mahmudabad’s May 9 Facebook post in which he questioned the tone and optics of public discourse surrounding military operations and criticised what he described as “reckless warmongering” by certain civilian groups.
A second FIR, also filed on Sunday at the same police station, came from Yogesh Jatheri, sarpanch of Jatheri village and BJP Yuva Morcha general secretary. Police said the two complaints were unrelated.
Mahmudabad, a well-known academic who heads the university’s political science department and holds a PhD from Cambridge, was picked up from his residence in Delhi early Sunday and produced in a Sonipat court. He was remanded to two days in police custody. His next hearing is scheduled for May 20.
Faculty Defends Professor, Condemns Arrest
In a strong statement, Ashoka University’s faculty association denounced the arrest as baseless and politically motivated. “We strongly condemn the arrest of Prof. Mahmudabad on groundless and untenable charges. He was arrested early in the morning, denied access to medication, and driven around for hours without any communication about his whereabouts,” the statement read. They described him as a respected academic and a “deeply responsible citizen committed to communal harmony.”
The Post That Sparked Controversy
In his May 9 post, Mahmudabad wrote critically about the public rhetoric surrounding Operation Sindoor, arguing that wars disproportionately harm the poor while benefiting politicians and defense corporations. He questioned what he described as the “optics” of having two women officers—Col Sophiya Qureshi and Wing Commander Vyomika Singh—present military briefings, asking whether symbolic representation translated into meaningful change. He also called out the hypocrisy of right-wing voices who praised women in uniform but failed to protect ordinary citizens, particularly Indian Muslims, from discrimination and violence.
Official Objections and Response
The Haryana Women’s Commission claimed the post insulted women in the armed forces and promoted communal disharmony. The notice objected to terms like “genocide,” “hypocrisy,” and “dehumanisation,” alleging that the professor’s statements violated UGC faculty conduct guidelines and misrepresented India’s counter-terror efforts.
In his May 14 response to the commission’s summons, Mahmudabad clarified that his post was not intended to malign the military or denigrate women officers. “I appreciated the choice of Col Qureshi and Wing Commander Singh for the briefing. I simply urged that the ideals of our Republic be extended to protect all Indian citizens equally,” he stated.
Charges Under FIRs
The FIR based on Bhatia’s complaint includes charges under:
- Section 152: Acts endangering sovereignty, unity, and integrity of India
- Section 353: Statements conducive to public mischief
- Section 79: Word or act intended to insult the modesty of a woman
The second FIR from Jatheri invokes:
- Section 196: Promoting enmity between different groups
- Section 197: Imputations prejudicial to national integration
- Section 299: Malicious acts intended to outrage religious feelings
- Section 152 (again)
Complainants’ Justifications
Bhatia defended her complaint, stating, “We will not tolerate anyone speaking inappropriately about any woman, especially those serving in uniform.” She added that Mahmudabad’s failure to appear before the commission after being summoned further prompted action.
Jatheri, when asked about his complaint, said only that Mahmudabad had made “serious” comments against him but refused to specify what those were.