Professor Ali Khan Mahmudabad, a respected political science professor at Ashoka University, found himself entangled in a web of controversy and false accusations orchestrated by Hindu nationalists, with the backing of the police and judiciary. Despite being innocent, he is being forced to prove his innocence in a scenario reminiscent of “guilty until proven innocent.
”
In a series of Facebook posts containing 1,530 words, Mahmudabad criticized Pakistan for sheltering terrorists while applauding India’s military actions and highlighting the achievements of female military officers representing the country on a global platform. However, he also warned against the ongoing persecution of Muslims within India.
Following his posts, Renu Bhatia from the Women’s Commission of Haryana accused Mahmudabad of insulting the female officers without concrete evidence to support her claims. Despite thorough explanations from Mahmudabad and scrutiny by various individuals and media outlets revealing no offensive content, Bhatia’s accusations led to his arrest on serious charges like inciting religious enmity and offending religious sentiments.
As academics and civil society members rallied behind Mahmudabad expressing outrage over the unjust treatment he faced, 200 academics released a statement urging harsh action against him, accusing him of destabilizing communal harmony and gender equity through veiled misogyny in his posts.
During court proceedings where his writings were read aloud, skepticism arose regarding hidden meanings or ulterior motives within his words. This led to the formation of a Special Investigative Team (SIT) by the Supreme Court comprising senior police officers to delve into the complexity of Mahmudabad’s language further – further fueling suspicions against him.
The public reacted with shock as the court delegated interpretive tasks to the police rather than analyzing the posts themselves. The investigating team now operates under preconceived notions set by the court that lean unfavorably towards Mahmudabad. His background details such as family history, religious identity, ties to Pakistan are under scrutiny painting a biased context around him.
Amidst this turmoil and propaganda demonizing him in media reports, Mahmudabad faces mounting pressure with student groups planning demonstrations for his dismissal from Ashoka University labeling his posts as “
antinational.” This parallels past incidents where scholars like Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam were vilified using similar tactics involving media sensationalism alongside police and judicial involvement.
Despite these challenges looming over him, one can only hope for impartiality from law enforcement agencies reading Mahmudabad’s words through constitutional lenses rather than succumbing to distorted narratives fueled by propaganda machinery. His message advocating empathy, justice, equality,and dignity deserves fair consideration beyond prejudiced perceptions shaped by external influences.
