Haryana: CPI(M) Condemns Arrest of Ashoka University Professor
THE Haryana State Committee of the Communist Party of India (Marxist), in a statement issued on May 18, has strongly condemned the arrest of Professor Ali Khan Mahmudabad of Ashoka University, Sonipat. The Party said that a deliberately distorted interpretation of Professor Mahmudabad’s social media post was used to give it a communal colour and file an FIR against him.
The CPI(M) expressed shock at the involvement of the chairperson of the State Women’s Commission, who visited Ashoka University to amplify the controversy around the professor's post – despite the matter being entirely outside the jurisdiction of the Commission. The Party termed this action as politically motivated and inappropriate for a constitutional body.
Widespread support for Professor Mahmudabad has emerged across the country. Hundreds of students, faculty members, and academics from Ashoka University and beyond have signed petitions denouncing the charges as baseless and false, expressing solidarity with the professor.
The party emphasized that Professor Mahmudabad’s academic work, public views, and social media commentary consistently reflect his commitment to secularism, the unity and integrity of India, and the values of the Constitution. His recent Facebook post, in fact, contained a strong condemnation of Pakistan’s support for terrorism. His comments, the CPI(M) stated, oppose communal hatred and violence, advocate for justice and peace, and expose the hypocrisy of the current government. “That is precisely why he is being targeted,” the statement read.
The Party further alleged that the arrest is symptomatic of the Modi government’s double standards and authoritarian tendencies. It pointed to the impunity enjoyed by individuals including ministers in the BJP government and the deputy chief minister of Madhya Pradesh who have trolled Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, insulted Army spokesperson Colonel Sophia Qureshi, and demeaned the armed forces . Meanwhile, those who speak for communal harmony and justice are being jailed on charges of sedition.
“This is unacceptable to the patriotic citizens of India,” the Party declared. The CPI(M) Haryana state committee has demanded the immediate release of Professor Ali Khan Mahmudabad and the withdrawal of the FIR filed against him.
Women's Organisations Slam Arrest of Ashoka Professor, Demand Release
IN a joint statement issued on May 19, the All India Democratic Women's Association (AIDWA) and the National Federation of Indian Women (NFIW) have strongly condemned the arrest of Ali Khan Mahmudabad, Associate Professor at Ashoka University, in connection with his social media posts in the background of Operation Sindoor. This unwarranted action was strangely preceded by the summons served on him by the Haryana State Women’s Commission on May 12, 2025, after which an FIR was registered against him by the Sonipat police station.
The notice accused his posts of ‘malicious intent’ and accused him for ‘violating the dignity and outraging the modesty of women.’ Further, the media reports that the FIR against him has pressed charges of ‘sedition'!
AIDWA and NFIW consider this notice and the subsequent arrest as a deliberate attempt to harass an academic who has supported the need for maintaining peace and communal harmony. The social media posts for which he has been targeted explicitly applaud the sacrifices of the armed forces and praised the efforts of the government in holding the Pakistan accountable for cross border terrorism. Dr Mahmudabad uses the example of the press conference led by Colonel Sofia Qureshi and Wing Commander Vyomika Singh, to celebrate national unity and to highlight the urgency of fighting communal targeting and polarisation.
AIDWA and NFIW consider the arrest of Dr Mahmudabad as an attack on the fundamental right to freedom of speech and expression, and as one more instance of the misuse of police and statutory institutions like the State Women’s Commission by the BJP-led government to target intellectuals and activists especially from a specific religious community. The same Haryana SWC remains silent on growing atrocities on women in Haryana, they noted.
AIDWA and NFIW demanded the immediate and unconditional release of Ali Khan Mahmudabad, and the withdrawal of the FIR and HSWC summons against him.
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