What is he being arrested for? Politicians and academicians condemn arrest of professor Ali Khan Mahmudabad

Ali Khan Mahmudabad

Ali Khan Mahmudabad, an associate professor at Ashoka University, was arrested on Sunday over his social media remarks about Operation Sindoor, the recent Indian military strikes against terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.

The charges against him include provisions under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita for inciting rebellion, disturbing communal harmony, and insulting religious sentiments, according to reports.

The professor, was taken into custody in Delhi after a complaint was filed by a member of the BJP’s youth wing. The Haryana State Commission for Women had also issued a notice to him regarding his remarks.

Mahmudabad responded that his comments were being deliberately twisted. “If anything, my entire comments were about safeguarding the lives of both citizens and soldiers. Furthermore, there is nothing remotely misogynistic about my comments that could be construed as anti-women,” he said. He also pointed out that the commission’s notice failed to establish any link between his remarks and an attack on women’s rights.

The arrest has sparked an online debate, with several political leaders and academics voicing support for the professor. AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi condemned the move, stating that the professor's post was neither anti-national nor misogynistic, and accused the police of targeting individuals for expressing their opinion.

"Utterly condemnable. If true, Haryana police reportedly arrested him from Delhi, violating legal process. This targets an individual for his opinions; his post wasn’t anti-national or misogynistic. A mere complaint by a BJP worker made Haryana police take action," Owaisi tweeted.

Renowned author and journalist Rahul Pandita condemned the arrest saying: "This is utterly ridiculous. What is he being arrested for? You can disagree with @Mahmudabad, but the arrest is shameful. This is not Democracy."

Historian Ramchandra Guha also condemned Mahmudabad arrest by tweeting -- "Mother of Democracy", along with a news report that talks about the professor's arrest.