Indian professor arrested for criticising BJP govt’s ‘hypocrisy’ over Muslims’ representation

Indian police arrested Muslim academic Ali Khan Mahmudabad an associate professor at Ashoka University in Haryana, from his home in Delhi, following his criticism of the BJP for using Muslim Army officer Colonel Sophia Qureshi during ‘Operation Sindoor, a move he claimed was aimed at deflecting global attention from the ongoing persecution of Indian Muslims.

Mahmudabad’s arrest came after a complaint was filed by a general secretary of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Youth Wing, Yogesh Jatheri and the Haryana State Women’s Commission also issued him a notice regarding his remarks.

In a post on social media, Professor Mahmudabad, the head of the university’s political science department, questioned right-wing supporters for applauding Colonel Sofia Qureshi’s role while remaining silent on the violence and discrimination faced by Indian Muslims.

He wrote,“Perhaps they could also equally loudly demand that the victims of mob lynching, arbitrary bulldosing and others who are victims of the BJP’s hate mongering be protected as Indian citizens.”

Commenting further, he said, “The optics of two women soldiers presenting their findings is importantly [sic] but optics must translate to reality on the ground otherwise it’s just hypocrisy.”\

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Mahmudabad emphasised that while the government may present a progressive image, “the grassroots reality that common Muslims face is very different.” However, he acknowledged that the press conference also reflected that “an India united in its diversity is not completely dead as an idea.”

He has denied the allegations of misogyny, stating that his remarks were misinterpreted.

AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi condemned the arrest, stating that the professor’s post was “neither anti-national nor anti-women,” and that the arrest constituted an attack on freedom of expression.

He also criticised Haryana Police for violating due process by arresting Mahmudabad from Delhi without following legal protocols.

Several political leaders and academic voices have spoken out in support of Mahmudabad, warning that punitive action against university professors and public intellectuals for expressing their views undermines democratic values and threatens academic freedom.