Himanshi Narwal, the wife of Lieutenant Vinay Narwal, who was killed in the Pahalgam attack, spoke out against targeting Muslims. She was heavily trolled and accused of having sympathies with Kashmiris. Similarly, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri and his daughter were subjected to vile abuse on social media
NEW DELHI – After last month’s Pahalgam tragedy and the post-Operation Sindoor, two disturbing incidents involving a ruling party politician and a Cambridge-educated academic have once again highlighted the double standards of criminal investigation in the states ruled by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
Vijay Shah, a minister in Madhya Pradesh, made slanderous remarks against Colonel Sophia Qureshi, one of the two top-level Indian army women officials who briefed the world on Operation Sindoor. The minister faced widespread outrage from countrymen and harsh criticism from the courts. But the state government and the ruling dispensation at the Centre not only maintained a stoic silence, but some of the BJP leaders and other members of the saffron brigade betrayed a brazen boldness in defending the controversial statements.
The second incident involves Prof Ali Khan Mahmudabad, the distinguished faculty member of the Sonipat-based Ashoka University in Haryana, who was arrested and charged with serious offenses for his social media post, which criticised the government’s handling of terrorism and advocated for peace.
These days, it has become a norm for some individuals to make outrageous comments without facing any consequences, while others are arrested and charged with serious offences for speaking out against injustice. This is in stark contrast to the principles of equality and justice enshrined in the law, which prohibit discrimination based on religion, caste, creed, or region.
The episodes involving Vijay Shah and Prof Mahmudabad are a case in point. Shah’s remarks about Colonel Qureshi sparked widespread outrage, with both the Madhya Pradesh High Court and the Supreme Court condemning his statements. However, despite the court’s strong reaction, no action has been taken against Shah. The Madhya Pradesh High Court took suo motu cognizance of the matter and directed the police to register an FIR, but the court was not satisfied with the FIR and ordered the registration of more serious charges.
The Supreme Court also pulled up Shah, calling his statement “shameful,” “dangerous,” and “cancerous,” and stating that it was not only an insult to the Indian Army but also to the entire country and Muslims. Despite the court’s criticism, no action was taken against Shah. The Supreme Court later formed a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to investigate the matter and directed that the team include a woman officer.
On the other hand, Prof Mahmudabad was arrested and charged with serious offences for his social media post, which criticised the government’s handling of terrorism and advocated for peace.
It is although Prof Mahmudabad’s post had criticised Pakistan’s role in terrorism and also questioned the demand for war, pointing out its devastating consequences for the poor and the benefits it provides to politicians and defence companies. He also praised Colonel Qureshi while also highlighting the need to speak out against mob lynching, bulldozer justice, and hate politics in the country.
Similar double standards are evident in other cases where no action was taken. For instance, when Himanshi Narwal, the wife of Lieutenant Vinay Narwal, who was killed in the Pahalgam attack, spoke out against targeting Muslims, she faced a hate campaign and was accused of having sympathies with Kashmiris. Despite the vitriolic attacks, no action was taken against those who harassed her.
Similarly, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri and his daughter were subjected to vile abuse on social media, but the government remained silent and did not take any action to defend them.
The National Commission for Women demanded action against Prof Mahmudabad, claiming that his statement was anti-women, but it did not take notice of the trolling faced by Himanshi Narwal and Vikram Misri’s daughter.
The contrast between Prof Mahmudabad’s arrest and Vijay Shah’s impunity highlights the double standards of justice. The government’s silence on such incidents gives the impression that those who spread hate and intolerance are being supported, while those who speak out against injustice are being silenced.
The inherent dichotomy in the Supreme Court’s granting of interim bail to Prof Mahmudabad with several restrictions has aptly been described by prominent lawyer and human rights activist Prashant Bhushan. In a tweet, he said: “The SC bench led by Justice Suryakant today, while granting interim bail to Prof Mahmudabad, imposed draconian conditions virtually preventing him from saying anything about the Indo-Pak issue. It also made some unnecessary remarks, making it look as if the SC was batting for police. Very unfortunate.”
