Latest news with #FreeSharmishta
Indian Express
4 days ago
- Politics
- Indian Express
‘Free the brave Sharmistha Panoli': Dutch MP urges PM Modi to intervene in influencer's arrest
As political tensions rise between the BJP and TMC over the arrest of law student and social media influencer Sharmistha Panoli, Dutch MP Geert Wilders has voiced his support for her, defending her right to free speech. Calling her arrest 'a disgrace' and referring to Panoli as 'brave,' the 61-year-old MP said she should not be penalised for expressing her views. Taking to X (formerly Twitter), the far-right Dutch lawmaker shared a poster reading 'All eyes on Sharmishta Panoli' and urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to secure her release. 'Free the brave Sharmishta Panoli! It's a disgrace for freedom of speech that she was arrested. Don't punish her for speaking the truth about Pakistan and Muhammad. Help her @narendramodi! @AmyMek,' Wilders posted. 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 — Geert Wilders (@geertwilderspvv) May 31, 2025 Panoli's arrest has sparked a political storm in India, with BJP leaders demanding her immediate release. Party members argue that the law student had already deleted the contentious video and issued an apology, and claim that her arrest constitutes unfair targeting. The controversy stems from a now-deleted video in which Panoli allegedly made communal remarks, accusing some Bollywood celebrities of remaining silent on Operation Sindoor. The video triggered significant backlash, with many accusing her of spreading hate speech and threatening her online. In a public statement, Panoli offered an apology, writing: '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.' Panoli, a law student at Symbiosis International University, enjoys a substantial following on social media with nearly 85,000 followers on X and 90,000 on Instagram. A resident of Kolkata's Anandapur area, she has been charged under sections related to promoting enmity between groups, acts intended to outrage religious feelings, intentional insult, and provocation likely to cause a breach of peace, according to the Kolkata Police, as reported by PTI. 'Several attempts were made to serve legal notices to Panoli and her family, but they went incommunicado. The matter was then presented before the court, which issued an arrest warrant. On Friday night, she was arrested from Gurugram by Kolkata Police,' an officer said. Panoli was produced before a court in Alipore on Saturday, which remanded her to judicial custody until June 13 after rejecting her bail plea. Speaking to reporters while leaving the courtroom, she said, 'The way this harassment is being done in a democracy — this is not democracy.'
India.com
4 days ago
- Politics
- India.com
Don't Punish Her For Speaking Truth…: Dutch MP Geert Wilders Backs Arrested Influencer With All Eyes On Sharmishtha Poster
After the influencer Sharmishta Panoli was arrested by Kolkata Police, Dutch Member of Parliament Geert Wilders showed support and shared an 'All Eyes On Sharmishtha' Poster on the social media platform X. The 22-year-old Indian law student was arrested for allegedly hurting religious sentiments through her social media posts. In the post, the Dutch MP wrote, "Free the brave Sharmishta Panoli!" He added that it is "a disgrace for the freedom of speech" that she was arrested. "Don't punish her for speaking the truth about Pakistan and Muhammad," Wilders wrote. 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 — Geert Wilders (@geertwilderspvv) May 31, 2025 Sharmishta Panoli's Arrest Sharmishta Panoli was arrested on Saturday in Kolkata for posting videos containing communal remarks during Operation Sindoor. The Indian Armed Forces' Operation Sindoor was launched during the wee hours of May 7, targeting terrorist infrastructure sites in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK). These steps came after the gruesome terror attack in Pahalgam in which 26 individuals were killed. According to IANS, the FIR filed against her includes charges under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) for promoting enmity on religious grounds, deliberately outraging religious feelings, and provoking a breach of peace. Despite deleting the video and issuing a public apology, Panoli was produced in court and sent to 14-day judicial custody. Political Backlash Sharmishta Panoli's arrest has triggered a political backlash. West Bengal BJP Chief and Union Minister of State, Sukanta Majumdar, called her arrest "vote-bank vendetta." In a post on X, he wrote, "No riots. No unrest. Yet Mamata Banerjee's police acted overnight — not for justice, but for appeasement." "But when TMC leaders insult Sanatan Dharma, call Jai Shri Ram a gaali, mock Maha Kumbh, and push communal poison — there's no FIR, no arrest, no apology," he added. On the other hand, Congress leader and MP Karti P. Chidambaram also condemned the arrest and called it a 'blatant misuse of police powers'.
News18
4 days ago
- Politics
- News18
‘All Eyes On Sharmishta': Student, Arrested By Kolkata Police, Gets Dutch Leader's Support
Last Updated: Sharmishta Panoli was arrested by Kolkata Police for allegedly making communal remarks on social media. She has now received support from a Dutch leader. Sharmishta Panoli, a 22-year-old Pune law student, who was arrested by Kolkata Police for alleged communal remarks on social media despite her unconditional apology, has received support from a far-right Dutch leader. Geert Wilders, an MP in the Dutch Parliament, who leads the right-wing Party for Freedom, described her arrest as a 'disgrace for the freedom of speech", and urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to help her out of jail. '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!" Wilders posted on X, sharing a picture of the arrested influencer, on which 'All Eyes On Sharmistha" was written. 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 — Geert Wilders (@geertwilderspvv) May 31, 2025 Panoli was arrested by Kolkata Police yesterday for posting videos on social media, wherein she used strong language and alleged communal remarks. The student also criticised Bollywood actors for keeping mum during Operation Sindoor, while the nation backed the armed forces after the Pahalgam terror attack. She was arrested based on the FIR filed against her at a police station in Kolkata. The FIR alleged that she promoted enmity and hurt religious sentiments with her remarks in a video, which she deleted later, and apologised for. Political Row Erupts Over Arrest A political controversy has erupted over the arrest by Kolkata Police of a Panoli on charges of making offensive remarks on Operation Sindoor and allegedly passing communal statements on social media. The Bharatiya Janata Party lashed out at Mamata Banerjee's police for their action, in which they travelled all the way to Gurugram to make the arrest within hours of the FIR, despite her unconditional apology and removal of the video. The BJP questioned the lack of action by the West Bengal Police in complaints against TMC leaders for their alleged provocative remarks for the Hindu community. '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," BJP IT cell chief Amit Malviya posted on X. Alleging that Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has made 'far more divisive statements, which have had far-reaching consequences, including tragic loss of life and destruction of property on multiple occasions", Malviya questioned if law will 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," he said. West Bengal LoP Suvendu Adhikari said that the 'nationalist lawyers" will take up her case. 'DG @WBPolice where have you locked up your spine when Anubrata Mondal threatens your subordinate's wife and mother with rape? I would like to assure everyone that the Nationalist Lawyers are taking up Sharmistha's matter and the best legal defense will be provided to her, and I hope that she will be free from the clutches of the vile & vicious Mamata Police," he said.
News18
4 days ago
- Politics
- News18
'Vote-Bank Vendetta': Political Row Erupts Over Influencer Sharmishta Panoli's Arrest
Last Updated: The arrest of 22-year-old law student Sharmishta Panoli for a deleted video has sparked a political row, with critics accusing the West Bengal government of selective action. The arrest of 22-year-old law student and social media influencer Sharmishta Panoli has triggered a major political row, with several leaders accusing the Mamata Banerjee-led West Bengal government of practising selective action and 'appeasement politics". Panoli, a student from Pune known for her outspoken social media content, often containing strong language, was arrested by West Police on Thursday from Haryana's Gurugram. Her arrest came after the circulation of a now-deleted video in which she allegedly made communal remarks while criticising Bollywood actors for not speaking up on Operation Sindoor. Police said the video contained 'derogatory and disrespectful" language targeting a particular religious community. Panoli had later deleted the video and issued a public apology. Panoli's arrest drew sharp criticism from political leaders, who took to X to voice their condemnation. West Bengal BJP President and Union Minister Sukanta Majumdar said the arrest was politically motivated, claiming, '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, call Jai Shri Ram a gaali, mock Maha Kumbh, and push communal poison — there's no FIR, no arrest, no apology." 'This is not justice. This is vote-bank vendetta. India is watching," Majumdar added. International voices also joined the debate, including Dutch MP Geert Wilders, who posted on X: '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!." 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 — Geert Wilders (@geertwilderspvv) May 31, 2025 Actor-turned-politician Kangana Ranaut came out in defence of Sharmishta Panoli on Saturday, expressing concern via her Instagram Stories over what she called excessive punitive action. 'I agree that Sharmishta used some unpleasant words for her expression but such words most youngsters use these days," Kangana wrote. 'She apologised for her statements and that should be enough, no need to bully or harass her further. She should be released immediately." Andhra Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan also spoke out, saying Panoli had apologised for her words but was still punished. '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? 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," he wrote. 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 what about the deep, searing pain inflicted… — Pawan Kalyan (@PawanKalyan) May 31, 2025 Maharashtra BJP leader Nitesh Rane als wrote: 'Ramgiri Maharaj speaks the a problem.. Sharmistha speaks the truth.. apologies about it.. deletes the posts.. it's still a problem.. but when Sanatha Dharma is attacked every day by the WB TMC leaders .. there is no apology.. why ? Then the secular kidas come out to give lectures.. where is the so called Sarv dharma Sama Bhav gone then ? Jago HINDU Jago!" Get Latest Updates on Movies, Breaking News On India, World, Live Cricket Scores, And Stock Market Updates. Also Download the News18 App to stay updated! Location : New Delhi, India, India First Published: June 01, 2025, 11:18 IST News politics 'Vote-Bank Vendetta': Political Row Erupts Over Influencer Sharmishta Panoli's Arrest
NDTV
4 days ago
- Politics
- NDTV
"All Eyes On Sharmistha": Arrested Influencer Gets Dutch Support
New Delhi: Sharmishta Panoli, a 22-year-old influencer arrested by Kolkata Police for communally-charged social media posts, has received support from nearly 7,000 km away. Geert Wilders, a member of the Dutch Parliament and the leader of the right-wing Party for Freedom, has said the influencer's arrest is a "disgrace for freedom of speech" and urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to ensure she is freed. "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," Wilders said in a post on X. The photo with the post read, "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 — Geert Wilders (@geertwilderspvv) May 31, 2025 Kolkata Police yesterday arrested Sharmistha Panoli, a 22-year-old law student, over social media videos in which she used abusive and communally-charged language and also targeted Bollywood actors for not speaking out during Operation Sindoor, India's counterstrike to the Pahalgam terror attack that left 26 innocents dead. The influencer's arrest has sparked a political row, with the BJP and its allies targeting the Mamata Banerjee government in Bengal. The FIR against Sharmistha Panoli, filed after a complaint in Kolkata, invokes 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. She was produced in court and remanded in judicial custody for 14 days. Jana Kalyan Sena leader Pawan Kalyan took to X to comment on the student's arrest. "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?," he asked. Targeting the BJP, Ms Banerjee has said the party was trying to incite "communal riots through divisive politics" in Bengal and asserted that its "ganda dharma" was contrary to the true principles of Hinduism. Sharing a video of the Trinamool Congress chief's remarks, Mr Kalyan said, "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." Kolkata Police have said 'certain social media narratives suggesting an 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," it said in a post on X. Soon after her post sparked an uproar, the law student deleted it and issued an apology.
