‘Cheap popularity': Supreme Court pulls up Ashoka University's Ali Khan Mahmudabad

The Supreme Court of India on Wednesday pulled up Ashoka University assistant professor Ali Khan Mahmudabad for his social media post regarding India's Operation Sindoor against Pakistan.

Despite granting him an interim bail, the top court slammed Ali Khan Mahmudabad for his Facebook post and accused him of “dog-whistling”.

Upon being granted bail, Ashoka University expressed relief. “We are relieved and heartened by Prof Ali Khan Mahmudabad being granted interim bail by the Hon’ble Supreme Court. It has provided great comfort to his family and all of us at Ashoka University,” read the official statement issued by the private university.

Dog whistling and cheap publicity

The matter was heard by a bench of Justices Surya Kant and N Kotisar Singh, who accused the Ashoka University professor of trying to gain “cheap publicity”.

"Everybody has a right to express free speech. But is it the time to talk of this much communal...? The country has faced a big challenge. Monsters came all the way and attacked our innocents. We were staying united. But at this juncture.. why to gain cheap popularity on this occasion?" Justice Kant was quoted as saying by LiveLaw.