Post on Op’ Sindoor: Opposition slams BJP for professor’s arrest

New Delhi: The opposition parties Congress and Samajwadi Party strongly criticised the ruling BJP for arresting Ashoka University professor for his social media post on Operation Sindoor, and contrasted it with its lukewarm response to Madhya Pradesh minister Vijay Shah’s derogatory reference to Col Sofiya Qureshi.

Drawing a parallel between the aggressive action against the professor and the sluggish probe into the BJP minister of Madhya Pradesh, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav wrote on X that those in power are free even after speaking ill of others, and those who spoke the truth have been arrested.

Arrested Ashoka University professor Ali Khan Mahmudabad wrote on social media that he was happy to see that the right-wing media is applauding Col Sofia Qureshi over her briefings on Operation Sindoor.

... 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 optics of two women soldiers presenting their findings is important, but optics must translate to reality on the ground, otherwise it's just hypocrisy,” he wrote.

However, he was booked based on two FIRs. He was charged with sections like endangering India's sovereignty and integrity, statements conducing to public mischief, deliberate actions aimed at insulting the modesty of a woman and promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, reports NDTV.

The Haryana Women Commission, which was among the complainants that led to FIRs, claimed that Khan's remarks raise concerns about the "disparagement of women in uniform, including Col Qureshi and Wing Commander Singh, and undermining their role as professional officers in the Indian Armed Forces", NDTV quoted.

Congress slammed Khan's arrest saying, “this is state of New India under the Modi government”.

“A historian and academic is jailed not for inciting violence but for advocating against it. His crime? Daring to speak truth to power, exposing the BJP's cynical communal narrative, and calling out the hypocrisy of chest-thumping nationalism. Meanwhile, the BJP minister and their deputy CM face no action after openly demeaning the armed forces. No FIRs. No arrests. That's the double standard of Modi's governance," Congress leader Pawan Khera wrote on X.

“A government that fears questions, fears its own people. When writers, professors, and critics are branded enemies, the real enemy is democracy itself," he added. "His only mistake is that he wrote this post. And his other mistake is his name."

Meanwhile a letter of support for Khan, signed by many including veteran historians Romila Thapar and Ramachandra Guha and scholars such as Jayati Ghosh, Nivedita Menon and Ram Puniyani, read, “It is preposterous that we have come to such a pass in India that even praising the army, albeit while criticising those who clamour for war, can now invite such targeted harassment and attempted censorship."

The letter said Khan in his post Khan analysed how any distinction between the terrorists or non-state actors and the Pakistani military has now collapsed, while the optics of the women officers chosen for India’s media debriefs was proof that the secular vision of the founders of our Republic is still alive.

It said, “Far from being misogynist or anti-national, Prof Khan’s posts are driven by a clear moral vision of what being a good citizen means and are actually the words of a true patriot who is concerned with the lives of both soldiers and citizens."