On April 29, 2025, Indian police charged Madri Kakoti, an assistant professor of linguistics at Lucknow University who is known online for her satirical commentary on political and social issues, with sedition and causing disharmony in relation to social media posts that she made about an April 22 attack on civilians in Pahalgam village in the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir.
Kakoti made several social media posts criticizing the response to the Pahalgam attack by the government and the media. Her posts also highlighted discrimination faced by some in India, including lynchings, employment discrimination, home demolitions, and housing denials, calling that discrimination “terrorism.” Her posts did not specifically mention any group. The posts were widely reshared, including by a Pakistani media outlet.
The posts and their share by Pakistani media prompted members of Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), a right-wing student group, to protest at Lucknow University. Lucknow’s administration responded on April 28 by issuing Kakoti a show-cause notice, demanding that the professor explain her comments within five days.
In addition, ABVP leader Jati Shukla registered a first information report (FIR) with the local police station. The FIR resulted in police charging Kakoti with several criminal acts, including sedition, stating claims prejudicial to national integrity, hurting religious sentiments, creating ill will, and promoting enmity, as well as with undermining India’s unity and sovereignty.
On June 9, 2025, the Allahabad High Court granted Kakoti anticipatory bail. At the time of writing, there were no other updates on the proceedings of the case.
Scholars at Risk is concerned about charges against a scholar. Absent further evidence of wrongdoing, this arrest suggests an effort to retaliate against or deter academic work or views — conduct that is expressly protected by international human rights instruments including the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, to which India is a party. State authorities must respect academic freedom and nonviolent expressive conduct and refrain from actions intended to punish, restrict, or deter such conduct. In addition to the harm to the immediate victim, such actions undermine academic freedom and democratic society generally.
Sources:
https://www.hindustantimes.com/cities/lucknow-news/lu-asst-prof-booked-for-sedition-over-pahalgam-attack-remarks-101745860736682.html
https://www.hindustantimes.com/cities/lucknow-news/day-after-fir-lu-asst-prof-clears-the-air-over-remarks-on-pahalgam-terror-attack-101745945666086.html
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/lucknow/lu-asst-prof-gets-anticipatory-bail-on-pahalgam-attack-post/articleshow/121737231.cms
https://maktoobmedia.com/india/up-professor-booked-for-sedition-over-criticising-govt-media-attacks-on-kashmiri-students-post-pahalgam-attack/
https://www.edexlive.com/news/2025/Apr/29/what-i-said-is-a-fact-says-lucknow-university-professor-booked-for-sedition-over-social-media-post
https://theobserverpost.com/allahabad-high-court-grants-interim-bail-to-lucknow-universitys-dr-medusa-in-sedition-case/