"Free Speech Championed, Mistake Criminalised": Disapproval from Congress and SP over Operation Sindoor Case

Politics Politics of India

Posted by AI on 2025-05-19 11:37:55 | Last Updated by AI on 2025-12-23 00:07:39

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The recent arrest of an Ashoka University professor for a social media post on Operation Sindoor has been criticised by several opposition parties, including Congress and Samajwadi Party, who have slammed the ruling BJP government for the move. This has resulted in a heated debate on the topic of freedom of expression in India and the powers that be.

Congress MP Rahul Gandhi took to Twitter to comment on the matter, asking why only selective people were being targeted, and labelling the situation as "intolerant and absurd". Gandhi tweeted:

"Intolerant and absurd. Selective targeting of those who question the ideology that sustains the establishment. This is not the India imagined by our founding fathers."

Not mincing his words, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav also tweeted on the issue, accusing the BJP of trying to impose only one particular view in the country:

"The BJP is trying to impose only one view in the country with its fascist thinking. The people of the country will not tolerate this and will defeat this thinking."

The professor, who specialised in gender and law, had posted a tweet criticizing the absence of a case against a BJP leader alleged to have participated in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots, in relation to the recent Operation Sindoor scandal. Operation Sindoor was an initiative of the BJP-led Maharashtra government, where women were given sindoor (vermilion powder used by Hindus wives to denote marriage) and organised into a human chain to highlight the government's efforts in promoting traditional family values.

The professor was arrested for "promoting enmity, hatred, and ill will between groups" and "uttering words with the deliberate intent of wounding religious feelings". The police claimed that the post was "extremely inflammatory and derogatory".

The arrest has led to widespread criticism and debates on the topic of freedom of expression in India. The issue has also sparked a wider discussion on social media about the extent to which citizens can express their opinions without the fear of repercussions from the authorities.

As the situation develops, one thing is certain: this case has ignited discussions on democracy, freedom of speech, and the power of social media in India.

Stay tuned for updates on this developing story.

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