Ali Khan Mahmudabad, an associate professor of Ashoka University, who was summoned by the Haryana State Commission for Women over his social media post on Operation Sindoor said on Thursday that the commission had "misinterpreted" his remarks.
"...I am surprised that the Women's Commission, while overreaching its jurisdiction, has misread and misunderstood my posts to such an extent that they have inverted their meaning," said Mahmudabad, the head of political science department of Ashoka University, in a public statement posted on microblogging site X.
On May 12, the Haryana State Commission for Women issued a notice to Mahmudabad, stating that a preliminary review of his social media posts raised several concerns, including alleged "disparaging of women in uniform, such as Colonel Sofiya Qureshi and Wing Commander Vyomika Singh, and undermining their roles as professional officers in the Indian Armed Forces."
Colonel Sofiya Qureshi and Wing Commander Vyomika Singh had held media briefings alongside Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri during Operation Sindoor, India’s recent military action against Pakistan.
The women panel, in its notice, stated that it had taken suo motu cognisance of Mahmudabad’s "public statements" made "around May 7."
According to the notice, Mahmudabad, in one of the remarks attached to the complaint, stated that those on the right who were praising Colonel Qureshi should demand protection for victims of mob lynchings and "arbitrary" bulldozing of properties.
He further referred to the press 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.” The commission had summoned Mahmudabad to appear before it on Wednesday.
However, the panel's chairperson, Renu Bhatia, stated on Wednesday that Mahmudabad had informed them via email that he received the summons late and was therefore unable to appear in person.
In the meantime, Mahmudabad confirmed that his lawyers had submitted a detailed response to the summons and appeared before the commission on his behalf that same day.
"The screenshots attached to the commission's notice make it clear that my remarks have been completely misunderstood and that the commission has no jurisdiction whatsoever in the matter. The women's commission is a body that serves an important function; however, the summons issued to me fail to highlight how my post is contrary to the rights of or laws for women," Mahmudabad said in his public statement.
"Contrary to the allegations, my post appreciated the fact that the armed forces chose Colonel Sofia Qureshi and Wing Commander Vyomika Singh for the press conference to highlight the fact that the dream of the founders of our Republic, of an India which is united in its diversity, is still very much alive...
Mahmudabad also said his academic record, his public writings and policy work which at times have involved collaboration with senior bureaucrats, military officers, politicians and others from the Government of India "attest to the fact that I have also made it a priority to uphold the principles of our Constitution, safeguard the morality enshrined therein and protect the unity and integrity of India".
"All my public writings have always tried to uphold the principles of justice, liberty, fraternity and equality and have always sought to promote peace and communal harmony," he further stated.
About his posts, he said that he had exercised his "fundamental right to freedom of thought and speech in order to promote peace and harmony and to applaud the Indian armed forces for their resolute action, while criticising those who preach hatred and seek to destabilise India."
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