The arrest of Instagram influencer Sharmishta Panoli on Friday over her alleged communal remarks linked to Operation Sindoor has drawn criticism from leaders of the Bharatiya Janata Party and other parties within the ruling National Democratic Alliance, with several political leaders coming out in her support.
Panoli was arrested by Kolkata Police on Friday from Gurugram in Haryana for allegedly making communal remarks in a video related to India’s Operation Sindoor. She was later remanded to judicial custody until 13 June, her lawyer said on Saturday.
Also read: What did Sharmishta Panoli say in the controversial video that led to her arrest?
NDA leaders come in Sharmishta Panoli’s support
Criticising the Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress government in West Bengal over Panoli’s arrest, the state assembly’s Leader of Opposition Suvendhu Adhikhari alleged that action is taken only against ‘sanatanis’.
The BJP leader also accused the TMC government of engaging in “appeasement politics” and said that the move aimed to appease a “certain community”, reported ANI. He also brought up several cases filed against TMC leaders, alleging that no strict action was taken against them.
Also read: Sharmishta Panoli, content creator held for Op Sindoor post, sent to judicial custody till June 13
“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,” ANI quoted him as saying.
“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.
Andhra Pradesh deputy chief minister Pawan Kalyan also came in Panoli’s support and urged the West Bengal police to “act justly”.
“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,” he said, while highlighting that such swift action is not taken when MPs of TMC “mock Sanatana Dharma”.
Sharmishta Panoli, a student enrolled at Pune’s Law University, allegedly made a controversial video on social media in which she criticised several Hindi film actors for not commenting on Operation Sindoor. Her post stirred significant outrage on social media.