“A Good Citizen and True Patriot”: Academic Community Rises in Defence of Professor Ali Khan Mahmudabad
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The India Observer, TIO: More than 1,000 scholars and academics have come together in strong support of Professor Ali Khan Mahmudabad, Associate Professor and Head of the Department of Political Science at Ashoka University, following his arrest based on a complaint by a BJP Yuva Morcha leader. The complaint alleged that his Facebook posts on India’s May 7 military strikes (Operation Sindoor) were inflammatory — a claim widely contested by intellectuals, students, and public figures across India and abroad.
Professor Khan was arrested under several sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, including those related to inciting secession and insulting religious beliefs — charges many observers have condemned as politically motivated and deeply unjust.
A Letter of Support from the Academic Community
A strongly worded letter of solidarity, signed by over a thousand scholars — including eminent historians Romila Thapar and Ramachandra Guha, and leading academics such as Jayati Ghosh, Nivedita Menon, and Ram Puniyani — defends Prof. Khan as “a good citizen and true patriot.”
The letter states:
“It is preposterous that we have come to such a pass in India that even praising the army — albeit while critiquing war-mongering rhetoric — can now invite such targeted harassment and attempted censorship.”
Misinterpretation and Misrepresentation
The controversy stems from Prof. Khan’s nuanced posts analyzing the evolving dynamics of cross-border conflict, including how distinctions between non-state actors and Pakistan’s military have blurred. He also noted that the presence of women officers in official debriefs served as a powerful reminder that the secular vision of India’s founders endures.
The Haryana State Women’s Commission, however, took a radically different view. In a move widely described as baseless and unconstitutional, it accused Prof. Khan of vilifying the Indian Army, insulting women in uniform, and inciting communal disharmony — charges that do not hold up under a straightforward reading of the original posts.
Far from being anti-national or misogynistic, the letter clarifies:
“Prof. Khan’s reflections are driven by a clear moral vision of citizenship, patriotism, and peace. His concern lies with both soldiers and civilians, and with protecting the constitutional values of justice and secularism.”
In one post titled “The blind bloodlust for war!”, Prof. Khan even drew from the Bhagavad Gita and Islamic teachings to explore the ethical dilemmas of wars driven by ego, pride, and political opportunism.
Broader Concerns About Freedom of Speech
The signatories also expressed alarm at the broader implications of the case — particularly the apparent attempt to criminalize critical thinking and public reasoning:
“It is telling that in a state like Haryana, which has one of the highest rates of crimes against women, institutional energy is being used not to protect women, but to target an academic who dares to think aloud. The Commission, which lacks jurisdiction over cross-border terrorism or UGC codes of conduct, is exceeding its mandate in a deeply worrying way.”
By contrast, the letter points out, individuals who issued rape threats to Vikram Misri’s daughter or hurled communal slurs at Colonel Sofia Qureshi have not faced similar institutional scrutiny.
A Call for Accountability and Support
The letter concludes with two unequivocal demands:
- The Haryana State Women’s Commission must retract its summons and issue a formal public apology to Professor Khan for the unwarranted defamation and distress it has caused.
- Ashoka University must stand by its faculty member in this critical moment, recognizing that his words reflect a scholar’s commitment to truth, peace, and civic responsibility.
“We urge all institutions that uphold democratic values to see this for what it is: a chilling attack on academic freedom and freedom of expression. Professor Khan has done nothing more than fulfill his duty as a teacher, a public intellectual, and a citizen of conscience.”
Source: Scroll’s FB Post
Photo: Ali Khan Mahmudabad @Mahmudabad/X
