New Delhi: Outrage over social media influencer Sharmistha Panoli’s arrest by Kolkata Police for communally-charged posts is growing by the hour.
Ever since the 22-year-old law student was apprehended from Gurugram on Saturday for her short videos and other posts post Operation Sindoor, based on an FIR following a police complaint in Kolkata, netizens have been slamming the action against Panoli, with many attributing it to the Mamata Banerjee government’s appeasement politics.
Panoli has now found support from politicians and celebrities as well. Even a Dutch parliamentarian has spoken out against the influencer’s arrest and sought Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s intervention.
“Free the brave Sharmishta Panoli! It’s a disgrace for the freedom of speech that she was arrested. Don’t punish her for speaking the truth about Pakistan and Muhammad. Help her @narendramodi,” Geert Wilders wrote in a post on X.
Wilders, the leader of the right-wing Party for Freedom, shared a photo of Sharmistha in his post with the headline, ‘All eyes on Sharmistha.’
Free the brave Sharmishta Panoli!
It’s a disgrace for the freedom of speech that she was arrested.
Don’t punish her for speaking the truth about Pakistan and Muhammad.
Help her @narendramodi! @AmyMek #Sharmishta#IStandwithSharmishta #ReleaseSharmistha #FreeSharmishta pic.twitter.com/YhGSLhuyr2
— Geert Wilders (@geertwilderspvv) May 31, 2025
Kangana slams Bengal govt
Back home, Sharmistha’s arrest has sparked a political row, with the BJP and its allies targeting the Trinamool Congress government in West Bengal.
Actor-politician Kangana Ranaut condemned the arrest, urging the Bengal government not to harass someone in the name of law and order, and turn the state into North Korea.
“Harassing someone in the name of law and order is not good. When someone has apologised and deleted the post, but putting her in prison, torturing her, ending her career and raising questions on her character is very wrong. This should not happen with any daughter. I urge the West Bengal government not to try to make the state into North Korea,” the BJP MP told ANI.
“Everyone has democratic rights. She has apologised for her indecent remarks. She had said everything in general and today’s generation uses such language very normally – both in English and in Hindi. She should be released soon because she is a very young woman. She has her whole career and life ahead of her,” the Manikarnika actress said.
#WATCH | Delhi: On the arrest of Sharmistha Panoli from Gurugram by Kolkata Police for allegedly hurting religious sentiments through her comments on social media, actor Kangana Ranaut says, “Harassing someone in the name of law and order is not good. When someone has apologised… pic.twitter.com/SEtPALH9lH
— ANI (@ANI) June 1, 2025
‘Secularism not a shield for some and a sword for others’
Jana Kalyan Sena leader Pawan Kalyan questioned why Mamata’s government doesn’t act against those MPs of her party who mock Sanatana Dharma.
“During Operation Sindoor, Sharmistha, a law student, spoke out, her words regrettable and hurtful to some. She owned her mistake, deleted the video and apologized. The WB Police swiftly acted, taking action against Sharmistha. But what about the deep, searing pain inflicted upon millions when elected leaders, MPs of TMC, mock Sanatana Dharma? Where is the outrage when our faith is called ‘Gandha Dharm’? Where is their apology? Where is their swift arrest?” Kalyan posted on X.
Sharing a video of Mamata’s comments, Kalyan further wrote, “Blasphemy must be condemned, always! Secularism isn’t a shield for some and a sword for others. It must be a two-way street. West Bengal Police, the nation is watching. Act justly for all.”
‘Why no action on other FIRs?’
BJP’s Suvendu Adhikari, leader of Opposition in Bengal, accused the TMC of targeting Hindu voices.
“FIR was filed against Mahua Moitra also. She made derogatory comments about Goddess Kali. Was any action taken? What did their (TMC) MP, Saayoni Ghosh, post regarding Mahadev? Was any action taken? There have been so many FIRs against Firhad Hakim, but there has been no action,” Adhikari told reporters.
“The action is only taken against Sanatanis. Everyone here has a licence to abuse Sanatana… This is appeasement politics. A certain community is their vote bank and this is for appeasement,” Adhikari added.
BJP’s IT Cell chief Amit Malviya, also pointed out Mamata’s hypocrisy.
“This isn’t just about Bengal — this is about how a young Hindu woman is being targeted to appease a vote bank. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee herself has made far more divisive statements, which have had far-reaching consequences, including tragic loss of life and destruction of property on multiple occasions. Will the law be applied to her with the same urgency? India is watching. This isn’t just a case in West Bengal — it reflects how a young Hindu woman is being targeted to appease a vote bank. Justice must not be politically convenient.”
Sharmistha, who was charged with Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita sections linked to promoting enmity on grounds of religion, deliberate acts to outrage religious feelings and intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of peace, was produced in court and remanded in judicial custody for 14 days.
“The way this harassment is being done in a democracy, this is not democracy,” Sharmistha said while leaving the court.
How it all started
It was on May 14 that AIMIM national spokesperson Waris Pathan flagged Sharmistha’s video on X, claiming it insulted Islam and promoted communal disharmony. He tagged Union Home Minister Amit Shah and demanded her arrest.
The case snowballed from there.
Sharmistha, who has over 175,000 followers across X and Instagram, apologised the day after.
“I do hereby tender my unconditional apology. Whatever was put are my personal feelings and I never intentionally wanted to hurt anybody, so if anybody is hurt, I’m sorry for the same. I expect co-operation and understanding. Henceforth, I will be cautious in my public post. Again, please accept my apologies,” she wrote on X.
A fortnight later, Kolkata Police tracked down Sharmistha in Gurugram and arrested her. Police claimed they had made several attempts to serve legal notices to Sharmistha and her family, but could not because they were absconding.
Police defend action
Kolkata Police said certain social media narratives suggesting unlawful arrest of a law student are ‘factually incorrect and misleading’.
“All legal procedures were duly adhered to. All attempts were made to serve notice, but she was found absconding on every occasion. Consequently, a warrant of arrest was issued by the competent court, following which she was apprehended lawfully from Gurgaon. She was thereafter produced before the appropriate magistrate and granted transit remand as per due process of law. We urge all concerned to refrain from spreading unverified or speculative content and to rely on authentic sources for information,” Kolkata Police said in a post on X.
