Secularism must be two-way street: Pawan Kalyan on arrest of social media influencer Sharmishta Panoli

India Gazette

2 days ago

Amravati (Andhra Pradesh) [India], June 1 (ANI): Andhra Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan slammed West Bengal Police over the arrest of social media influencer Sharmishta Panoli by the West Bengal police, saying that 'secularism must be a two-way street'.
In a post on X, Pawan Kalyan said, 'During Operation Sindoor, Sharmistha, a law student, spoke out, her words regrettable and hurtful to some. She owned her mistake, deleted the video and apologised. 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?'
https://x.com/PawanKalyan/status/1928829383734866375
'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,' the post further read.
Earlier, Actress and BJP MP Kangana Ranaut on Sunday urged for the release of 22-year-old influencer Sharmishta Panoli, who was remanded to judicial custody by a court in Kolkata, a day after West Bengal Police arrested her from her Gurugram in Haryana.
'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,' Kangana told ANI.
Further, she said, 'I urge the West Bengal government not to try to make the state into North Korea. 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...'
Kolkata Police arrested Panoli from Haryana's Gurugram on Friday night. She is a law student in Pune, Maharashtra. On Saturday, Panoli was produced before the Alipore Court in Kolkata, which remanded her in judicial custody for 14 days.
According to the Kolkata Police, several attempts were made to serve legal notices to Panoli and her family, but the attempts were unsuccessful because Panoli and her family absconded.
Subsequently, an arrest warrant was issued by the court, based on which she was arrested from Gurugram on Friday.
'The case relates to an Instagram video by a lady named Sharmishta Panoli that hurt the religious sentiments of a particular community. FIR was lodged in Garden Reach Police Station. Attempts to serve notice as per law couldn't be successful since the accused, with her family absconded. Subsequently, warrant of arrest was issued by the court of law, based on which she was arrested from Gurgaon yesterday,' as per the Kolkata Police.
However, Panoli had deleted the video and issued an apology on May 15. (ANI)