Professor arrested for social media post criticizing Operation Sindoor

A prominent Indian academic has been arrested over a social media post critiquing the government’s portrayal of its recent military operation against Pakistan, triggering nationwide concern over freedom of expression and rising intolerance of dissent.

Dr. Ali Khan Mahmudabad, an associate professor of political science at Ashoka University, was taken into custody in New Delhi on May 18. His arrest followed a criminal complaint by a youth leader from the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), alleging Mahmudabad’s remarks incited communal disharmony and insulted religious sentiments.

The complaint stemmed from a Facebook post dated May 8, in which Mahmudabad commented on the government’s daily military briefings on Operation Sindoor, a cross-border offensive launched earlier this month. Specifically, he questioned the use of two female officers — Colonel Sofiya Qureshi and Wing Commander Vyomika Singh — as spokespersons, juxtaposing their representation with the government's inaction on anti-Muslim violence within India.

“I am very happy to see so many right-wing commentators applauding Colonel Sophia Qureishi,” the post read, “but perhaps they could also equally loudly demand that the victims of mob lynchings, arbitrary bulldozing, and others who are victims of the BJP’s hate mongering be protected as Indian citizens.”

The reference to Colonel Qureishi, a Muslim officer, touched a nerve amid ongoing national scrutiny of violence and discrimination against India’s Muslim minority. In recent years, human rights organizations — including Amnesty International — have condemned a wave of state-backed demolitions targeting Muslim homes and businesses, terming it “bulldozer justice.”

The Haryana State Commission for Women accused Mahmudabad of disparaging women in uniform and promoting communal discord. He was summoned shortly before his arrest, which was made under sections of India’s penal code concerning public order, sedition, and religious insult.

In his defense, Mahmudabad issued a statement on social media asserting that his comments were “misunderstood” and “entirely aimed at protecting the lives of citizens and soldiers alike.” He also categorically rejected any suggestion of misogyny, emphasizing that his remarks acknowledged the symbolic importance of the two women officers but called for substance beyond optics.

The arrest has provoked sharp criticism from academics, civil liberties groups, and public intellectuals. A joint open letter with over 1,200 signatories was released on Friday, defending Mahmudabad and calling the charges politically motivated. “Prof Khan praised the strategic restraint of the armed forces,” the letter stated, “and emphasized the symbolic power of female officers in a deeply patriarchal society — his concern was with the performative veneer that masks systemic injustice.”

India’s ruling BJP, under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has faced sustained international scrutiny for its handling of dissent, its alleged tolerance of Hindu vigilante violence, and its polarizing policies. While Modi has occasionally condemned communal killings, critics argue that government action remains selective and insufficient.

Meanwhile, the ceasefire between India and Pakistan, announced on May 10 after days of drone and missile exchanges, remains in place. Indian strikes reportedly killed at least 31 people in Pakistan; India reported 15 fatalities from retaliatory attacks.

Mahmudabad’s arrest — set against this volatile backdrop — is now being seen not merely as a legal case, but as a litmus test for India's democratic commitment to academic freedom and critical discourse.