Political Storm in Bengal Over Influencer Sharmishta Panoli’s Arrest for ‘Operation Sindoor’ Remarks

On Sunday, a political controversy broke in West Bengal over the arrest of social media influencer Sharmishta Panoli by the Kolkata Police earlier this week for an alleged controversial post.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) lashed out against the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) in the state claiming that the arrest of the 22-year-old law student was “selective enforcement,” and that “uncharacteristic haste” was employed by the Kolkata Police.

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“Sharmistha Panoli, just 22 years old, has been arrested and sent to 14-day judicial custody over a video she had already deleted and publicly apologised for on May 15. There have been no reports of communal unrest linked to her remarks, yet the Kolkata Police is acting with uncharacteristic haste. This is no longer about law and order — it is about selective enforcement,” Amit Malviya, BJP’s IT cell head, wrote on X.

She was arrested from Gurugram in Haryana by the Kolkata Police late on Friday night and brought to Kolkata. She was then produced before the court on Saturday, where the court granted her judicial custody until June 13, 2023.

“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,” Malviya wrote.

Geert Wilders, Dutch Parliament member and leader of the right-wing Party for Freedom, used social media to offer his support to Panoli.

“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,” he wrote.

Pawan Kalyan, deputy chief minister of Andhra Pradesh, decried the TMC as well regarding the arrest, while telling the police to behave fairly.

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“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 wrote on X.

Panoli subsequently deleted the post and offered a public apology, but by that time, an FIR had already been lodged in Kolkata.

HT spoke with three or four TMC senior leaders; none would provide a comment on the developing situation. The Kolkata Police refuted allegations that Panoli had been arrested.

“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,” the Kolkata Police wrote on X.

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