Students at Ashoka University, located in Sonipat, Haryana, have expressed strong support for Associate Professor Ali Khan Mahmudabad, who was arrested by the Haryana Police on Sunday. The arrest followed the registration of two First Information Reports (FIRs) against him, alleging that his social media posts concerning "Operation Sindoor" posed a threat to India's sovereignty and integrity.
The university’s faculty association swiftly condemned the arrest and called for Professor Mahmudabad’s immediate release. In a statement issued on Monday, students from the course Banish the Poets voiced their solidarity, describing the arrest as a “stark violation” of academic freedom and the principles the professor both taught and embodied.
"We, the students of the course 'Banish the Poets', stand firmly united and in solidarity with our professor, Ali Khan Mahmudabad," the statement read.
"Throughout the course, Professor Khan lectured on love, consistently emphasising secular values such as reason, compassion, justice, and freedom of thought as the foundations for meaningful dialogue. His wrongful arrest is a stark violation of not just academic freedom, but of the very principles he taught us and stood for.”
The students also reflected on the impact Professor Mahmudabad had on their intellectual and personal development. “He encouraged us to share our truths, and to hold space for each other,” the statement continued.
“It was under his guidance and in the space created by his lectures that many of us felt emboldened to speak, share, write, and appreciate the safety and sanctity of that space. The principles of compassion, justice, and freedom he believed in were not just lessons; he lived them—and in doing so, he helped us live them more truly.”
They joined the broader call for his immediate release, describing the arrest as unjust and baseless.
Also Read: 'Women’s panel misread my social media post': Ashoka varsity prof
Arrest and FIR Details
Professor Ali Khan Mahmudabad, who heads the Department of Political Science at Ashoka University, was taken into custody by Haryana Police after two FIRs were filed against him. Both complaints were lodged at the Rai police station in Sonipat district.
One FIR was based on a complaint filed by Renu Bhatia, Chairperson of the Haryana State Commission for Women, and the other was submitted by a local village sarpanch. The Commission cited a May 12 notice stating it had taken suo motu cognisance of remarks made by Mahmudabad on or around May 7.
"We salute the country's daughters—Colonel Sofiya Qureshi and Wing Commander Vyomika Singh. But the kind of words the professor who teaches political science has used for them... I expected that he would at least present himself before the commission today and express regret," Bhatia said in a statement.
Professor Mahmudabad had referred to the media briefings by Colonel Qureshi and Wing Commander Singh as "optics," adding, "But optics must translate to reality on the ground, otherwise it's just hypocrisy."
Several political parties, including the Congress, CPI(M), AIMIM, and Trinamool Congress, have criticised the police action against Mahmudabad. The professor has defended his remarks, asserting that they were "misunderstood" and emphasizing that he was exercising his constitutional right to freedom of speech.
Also Read: SC agrees to hear plea of Ashoka varsity professor against arrest
Follow us
