The Congress on Monday alleged that the arrest of Ashoka University professor reflects the cynic foresight of the Bharatiya Janata Party.

“The arrest of Ashoka University professor, Ali Khan Mahmudabad shows how fearful the BJP is of any opinion, disliked by them,” Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge said.

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“I condemn any character assassination, vilification, trolling, harassment, unlawful arrest of any individual and vandalism of any business entity, either through fringe elements or through official state machinery,” Mr Kharge said while asserting: “The Indian National Congress stands with our Armed Forces, bureaucrats, academicians, intellectuals and their families.”

“Instead of sacking their own Madhya Pradesh’s Deputy CM & Minister, who made disgusting statements against our valiant Armed Forces, BJP-RSS is hell-bent in casting a narrative that anybody who represents pluralism, questions the government or simply performs his professional duty in the service of the nation, is a threat to its existence,” he said.

Ali Khan Mahmudabad was arrested on Sunday by Haryana Police after two separate First Information Reports were registered against him at Sonipat’s Rai Police Station over his social media posts in connection with Operation Sindoor.

The Ashoka University professor had described the initial media briefings on ‘Operation Sindoor’ by women officers — Col Sofia Qureshi and Wing Commander Vyomika Singh — as “optics” and “just hypocrisy”.

“I am very happy to see so many right-wing commentators applauding Colonel Sophia Qureshi, but perhaps they could also equally loudly demand that the victims of mob lynchings, arbitrary bulldozing, and others who are victims of the BJP’s hate mongering be protected as Indian citizens. The optics of two women soldiers presenting their findings is important, but optics must translate to reality on the ground, otherwise it’s just hypocrisy,” Mr Mahmudabad had said in a social media post.

Reasserting that “supporting the Armed Forces and the government, when National Interest reigns supreme, does not mean that we cannot question the Government,” Mr Kharge underlined: “While National Unity is supreme for the Congress party, BJP should be under no impression that it can foster Dictatorship under the garb of the present developments. Democracy should stand tall.”