Ashoka University’s Associate Professor and political scientist Ali Khan Mahmudabad has been arrested following a complaint by Yogesh Jatheri, general secretary of the Bharatiya Janata Party’s Yuva Morcha in Haryana. The arrest relates to Mahmudabad’s social media comments on Operation Sindoor, with charges filed under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita for allegedly disrupting communal harmony, inciting rebellion, and insulting religious sentiments.
The detention has sparked backlash, with critics calling it an overreach. Delhi University professor Apoorvanand condemned the arrest, stating that Haryana police took Mahmudabad from Delhi without proper legal procedure and urging judicial intervention.
Mahmudabad’s May 8 post had questioned Hindutva commentators praising Colonel Sofia Qureshi while ignoring victims of mob violence and BJP-led policies. The Haryana State Women’s Commission accused him of disparaging women in the armed forces and sowing communal discord. Mahmudabad defended his remarks, stating they were misinterpreted and did not violate women’s rights.
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Over 1,200 academics, politicians, and civil servants signed an open letter supporting Mahmudabad, demanding the Women’s Commission withdraw its summons and apologize for what they called a “malicious misrepresentation” of his views. The letter criticized the increasing trend of penalizing critical discourse, even when acknowledging the armed forces.