Pune law student arrest: BJP leaders criticise Kolkata Police, flag lack of action ‘against TMC leaders when they abuse Sanatan Dharma'
Bengal BJP leaders criticised the Kolkata Police for their 'proactiveness' in arresting law student Sharmishta Panoli over her purported communal post.
Panoli was arrested in Gurgaon by the Kolkata Police on Friday, brought to the Bengal capital on transit remand, and produced at the Alipore police court on Saturday. She has been remanded in jail custody till June 13.
Bengal Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari said, 'TMC MP Mahua Moitra had said such disgraceful things against Goddess Kali, was any action taken against her even after 200 FIRs were filed? Their MP, Sayani Ghosh, had posted about Maha Dev. Was any action taken? So many FIRs against Firhad Hakim, was any action taken?'
Adhikari further said, 'Action is only taken against Sanatanis. I do not want to comment on what the girl (Panoli) has said, but the TMC is trying to appease a particular community for vote bank politics.'
Bengal BJP president and Union Minister Sukanta Majumdar posted on social media, 'Sharmistha Panoli, 22, law student, arrested for a now-deleted video and a public apology. No riots. No unrest. Yet Mamata Banerjee's police acted overnight — not for justice, but for appeasement. But when TMC leaders insult Sanatan Dharma… mock Maha Kumbh, and push communal poison — there's no FIR, no arrest, no apology. This is not justice. This is vote-bank vendetta.'
Sharmistha Panoli, a student of Symbiosis International University, Pune, has a sizeable social media following – almost 85,000 followers on X and 90,000 on Instagram.
Following the backlash over her purported controversial post, Panoli had posted on X, '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.'
Maharashtra cabinet minister Nitesh Rane has demanded the release of Panoli. He posted, 'Ramgiri Maharaj speaks the truth.. it's a problem.. Sharmistha speaks the truth.. apologises… deletes the posts.. it's still a problem.. but when Sanatan Dharma is attacked every day by the WB TMC leaders.. there is no apology.. why? Then the secular kids come out to give lectures…'
Congress MP Karti P Chidambaram has also extended support to Panoli. He posted on X, 'These interstate arrests for social media posts (unless it's clearly demonstrated that it has led to a law & order situation) is blatantly a misuse of police powers.'
Andhra Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan, too, came out in Panoli's support and urged the 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, adding that such swift action is not taken when TMC MPs 'mock Sanatana Dharma'.
Meanwhile, defending the actions of the Kolkata Police, TMC MP Sagarika Ghose told The Indian Express, 'Free speech doesn't allow hate speech. She (Panoli) has directly abused a religion. The Kolkata Police were acting on a warrant which they are duty-bound to execute. The notice was served, the family was absconding, the Kolkata Police just did their duty.'
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