New Delhi: In an appeal, more than 550 academicians, legal professionals, and civil society members of the country have submitted a letter to the Chief Justice of India, calling for urgent action against Ali Khan Mahmudabad, an Associate Professor at Ashoka University, over a public statement deemed “discriminatory, divisive, and malicious in intent.”
The letter, dated May 20, states that Mahmudabad issued a carefully worded statement designed to maliciously stoke distrust toward the Indian government during a time of national emergency. While his language appears legally defensible on the surface, the signatories argue that it is “carefully calibrated to incite disaffection” and push a narrative of alienation under the guise of academic analysis.
The statement criticises that Mahmudabad exploited existing communal fault lines, framing acts of national defence as communal violence, thereby undermining public faith in the State. The letter further states that his commentary is “mala fide” and potentially harmful to national unity and public order, thereby attracting scrutiny under Article 19(2) of the Constitution, which allows reasonable restrictions on freedom of speech.
Click here to download the names of the signatories
One of the most serious objections raised concerns his alleged misogynistic undertone, particularly in reference to Colonel Sofia Qureshi, a senior officer involved in Operation Sindoor. The letter condemns the professor for reducing a decorated female officer’s contributions to tokenism, optics and hypocrisy , accusing him of “erasing women’s agency” and promoting a patriarchal worldview that views women merely as instruments of political utility.
“This kind of reductionist, gender-disempowering rhetoric flies in the face of Articles 14 and 15 of the Constitution,” the letter reads, stating that such views not only discredit individual women in service but also set back the nation’s progress on gender equity in defence and governance.
The signatories have urged the Chief Justice to treat the matter with seriousness and initiate appropriate steps, warning that under the guise of academic proficiency such unchecked speeches of this nature could “distort public discourse, legitimise dangerous narratives, and undermine constitutional institutions.”
According to the reports in the media, he has been sent to judicia custody for 14 days.
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