Ashoka University professor Ali Khan Mahmudabad has been arrested for comments he made on social media regarding India’s ‘Operation Sindoor,’ a military operation targeting terror networks in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, the Scroll reported.
The arrest follows a suo motu action taken by the Haryana State Commission for Women, which objected to Mahmudabad’s remarks. In a notice issued earlier this week, the Commission alleged that his comments undermined the role of women officers in the Indian armed forces and could incite communal discord the report showed.
Responding to the summons, Mahmudabad defended his posts, stating that they were neither misogynistic nor inflammatory. He claimed his remarks were misinterpreted and that he was being unfairly targeted for expressing a critical perspective.
“The screenshots attached to the notice make it clear that my remarks have been completely misunderstood,” Mahmudabad said in a statement shared on X (formerly Twitter). “The Women’s Commission has no jurisdiction in this matter. While I respect the important role the Commission plays, the summons do not explain how my post violates any laws or rights pertaining to women.”
Mahmudabad also stressed that his intent was to highlight India’s diversity and to commend the inclusion of Colonel Sofiya Qureshi and Wing Commander Vyomika Singh in the Operation Sindoor press briefing.
“I even applauded members of the right wing who supported Colonel Qureshi and invited them to extend the same solidarity to ordinary Indian Muslims who face daily discrimination,” he wrote. “My comments were meant to emphasize the importance of protecting both soldiers and civilians. There was nothing misogynistic in what I said.”
The arrest has sparked fresh debate around academic freedom and the limits of public discourse in the context of national security and social media commentary.
