Dr Ali Khan Mahmudabad, Associate Professor and Head of the Political Science Department at Ashoka University, was arrested in Delhi on May 17 following a complaint by a member of the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) youth wing over a social media post related to Operation Sindoor — India’s retaliatory military action against Pakistan after the Pahalgam terror attacks.
The arrest was confirmed by Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Ajeet Singh, who said Mahmudabad was taken into custody for remarks deemed inflammatory and disrespectful to the armed forces, particularly comments directed at women officers involved in the operation.
The controversy stems from Mahmudabad’s online comments in which he criticised what he described as the “applause from right-wing supporters” for Colonel Sofia Qureshi. He urged that those celebrating women in uniform should also speak out for victims of mob lynchings and alleged “arbitrary” demolitions of homes. The Haryana State Commission for Women subsequently issued a notice to the professor, claiming his post invoked terms like “genocide,” “dehumanisation,” and “hypocrisy,” and accused him of inciting communal unrest and maligning national institutions. This attempt to draw a parallel between a celebrated military officer and instances of alleged injustice has been met with condemnation across various quarters.
Women’s Commission chairperson Renu Bhatia said Mahmudabad had been summoned to appear before the panel on May 15 but failed to do so. “The kind of words the professor who teaches political science has used… I expected that he would at least present himself before the commission and express regret,” she said.
The commission argued that his words not only denigrated the achievements of Colonel Qureshi and Wing Commander Vyomika Singh, another woman officer mentioned, but also deliberately misrepresented facts by repeatedly employing loaded terms such as “genocide,” “dehumanisation,” and “hypocrisy.” The commission asserted that this inflammatory language maliciously imputed communal bias to the government and the armed forces, carrying the potential to incite communal unrest and disrupt the harmony of the nation.
Chairperson Bhatia minced no words in expressing her dismay. “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,” she stated, underscoring the perceived disrespect shown towards the women officers. Mahmudabad’s failure to appear before the commission on the scheduled date of May 15th further aggravated the situation, signaling a perceived lack of accountability for his controversial statements.
Even Ashoka University, where Mahmudabad holds a prominent position, has distanced itself from his remarks. In a public statement, the university clarified that the professor’s views were his own and did not reflect the institution’s stance, emphasizing its pride in the Indian armed forces.
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