Op Sindoor: Ashoka College assoc. professor arrested over FB put up
The Wire reported that following the SCW discover, an open letter expressing assist for Mahmudabad acquired over 1,200 signatures. The letter — floated by historian Aparna Vaidik, a colleague of Mahmudabad’s at Ashoka College, and Delhi College Hindi professor Apoorvanand — condemned the SCW for issuing the summons primarily based on “deliberate and malicious slander”, and known as for the retraction of the summons and a proper apology from the fee.
Dated Friday, 16 Might, the letter identified the irony of the scenario, stating that it was “preposterous” that even whereas praising the Military, a simultaneous critique of jingoism and the clamour for conflict might provoke such institutional retaliation.
Along with demanding a right away revocation of the summons and a public apology, the letter known as on Ashoka College to unequivocally stand by Mahmudabad, stating that he has “carried out nothing besides perform his duties as a instructor, a citizen and an individual who believes in concord and peace.”
Among the many signatories to the letter have been historians Romila Thapar and Ramachandra Guha, filmmaker Anand Patwardhan, and economist Jayati Ghosh.
In a subsequent put up following his authentic one, Mahmudabad — who can also be a member of Uttar Pradesh’s opposition Samajwadi Get together — explicitly criticised what he known as the “blind bloodlust for conflict” amid ongoing India-Pakistan hostilities, urging reflection over jingoism and hyper-nationalism.
The fee issued a discover to Mahmudabad the next day, attaching screenshots of his posts. It said that the posts appeared to disparage Colonel Qureshi and Wing Commander Vyomika Singh, incite communal unrest, and undermine nationwide integrity.
Nevertheless, Mahmudabad known as the fee’s motion ‘a brand new type of censorship and harassment’. He mentioned the fee had misinterpret and misunderstood his posts to such an extent that it inverted their which means and created points the place none existed.
In an official assertion, Ashoka College distanced itself from Mahmudabad’s posts, clarifying that the opinions expressed have been solely his private views.
The college reaffirmed, “Ashoka College and all members of the Ashoka neighborhood are pleased with India’s armed forces and assist them unequivocally.”
