Ashoka Professor’s Arrest Sparks Outcry Over Free Speech and Communal Harmony

In a controversial move, Ali Khan Mahmudabad, an associate professor of political science at Ashoka University, has been arrested for a Facebook post critical of government narratives during Operation Sindoor, India’s recent military operation against Pakistan. His post questioned the sincerity behind the public celebration of women officers in media briefings while calling out domestic injustices such as mob lynchings and demolition drives against Muslims.

Mahmudabad, 42, was arrested in New Delhi on Sunday, a week after the India-Pakistan ceasefire was declared. He faces charges under laws pertaining to communal disharmony, subversion, and insulting religious sentiments. The case was filed based on a complaint by Yogesh Jatheri, youth wing general secretary of the BJP in Haryana.

The Haryana Women’s Commission accused Mahmudabad of disrespecting women officers, particularly Colonel Sofiya Qureshi, one of two officers leading daily military briefings. However, Mahmudabad clarified on social media that his comments were not anti-women but aimed at demanding justice and consistency in governance, regardless of religious identity.

This incident comes amid widespread concerns about growing intolerance of dissent and freedom of expression in India. Amnesty International and other human rights bodies have previously condemned “bulldozer justice”—the demolition of Muslim homes without due process.

More than 1,200 academics and civil society members have signed an open letter in support of Mahmudabad, saying his post upheld democratic values and strategic restraint while urging equal protection for all citizens.

Read Also:

• Social Media Death Threat Against Hindu Activist Sparks FIR in Mysuru
• Bengaluru Man Held for Social Media Threat Against PM Modi