Latest news with #SymbiosisInternationalUniversity
Indian Express
19 hours ago
- Indian Express
Influencer Sharmishta Panoli, arrested over social media post, gets interim bail
The Calcutta High Court Thursday granted interim bail to 22-year-old social media influencer Sharmishta Panoli, arrested for hurting religious sentiments with her alleged communal posts. 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. She was arrested from her Gurgaon residence on Friday afternoon. On May 14, the AIMIM's national spokesperson, Waris Pathan, had shared a video purportedly posted by her and alleged that she had insulted Islam and tried to spread communal disharmony. In his post, Pathan tagged the Home Minister and sought her arrest. On May 15, Panoli 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.' According to the FIR, police received a complaint at Garden Reach police station on May 14 from one Wajahat Khan.
India Today
5 days ago
- Politics
- India Today
Viral post, arrest and political slugfest: What's the Sharmistha Panoli controversy
A 22-year-old law student with over 175,000 followers across X and Instagram was arrested after her post on Operation Sindoor drew massive backlash. The woman, Sharmistha Panoli, is a student of Pune's Symbiosis International University and is known for sharing short videos on social media. Often loaded with abusive words, these videos have been going viral, with many supporting her for her fearless stand while others criticised her content as offensive and legal action was taken over her now-deleted video in which Panoli reportedly slammed actors who remained silent over Operation Sindoor. She was reportedly replying to a user who asked why India opened fire at Pakistan without any valid reason. She also allegedly also used abusive words in the video triggered widespread backlash for allegedly insulting a religious community and the Prophet Muhammad, despite Panoli issuing an unconditional apology and removing the content. Panoli was served several legal notice after multiple FIRs were filed against her but she remained absconding, as per Kolkata Police. She was arrested from Gurugram and remanded in judicial custody until 13 leaving the court, she said, 'The way this harassment is being done in a democracy, this is not democracy.'Ever since then, a political slugfest has erupted with the student-cum-influencer's HAD HAPPENEDadvertisementOn May 14, AIMIM national spokesperson Waris Pathan flagged Panoli's video on X, claiming it insulted Islam and promoted communal disharmony. He tagged the Union Home Minister and demanded her arrest. The case snowballed from May 15, Panoli 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.'On May 30, Kolkata Police tracked down Panoli in Gurugram and arrested her. Kolkata Police claimed they made several attempts to serve legal notices to Panoli and her family, but the attempts were unsuccessful because Panoli and her family THE BACKLASH?Several people, especially from Muslim communities in India and abroad, slammed her allegedly making offensive remarks about Islam and the Prophet Muhammad. Hashtags like #ArrestSharmistha began trending, and she reportedly received rape and death threats. Despite deleting the post and issuing an apology the following day, the situation had already escalated AGAINST PANOLISeveral FIRs were filed against her in Kolkata. A senior police officer said, 'The case pertains to an Instagram video by a woman named Sharmistha Panoli that hurt the religious sentiments of members of a particular community.'advertisementShe was charged under several sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, including:Section 196(1)(a): Promoting enmity between groups based on religionSection 299: Deliberate acts intended to outrage religious feelingsSection 352: Intentional insult likely to provoke a breach of peaceSection 353(1)(c): Statements inciting public mischiefSeveral social media users and political leaders opposed the arrest and termed it "unlawful" to which the Kolkata Police said the action was taken after she went absconding despite several KOLKATA POLICE SAIDKolkata Police, in a post on X, said, "In reference to Garden Reach Police Station Case No. 136 dated 15.05.2025, 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."advertisementSUPPORT FROM OVERSEESThe influencer also got support from a member of the Dutch Parliament, Geert Wilders, who said the influencer's arrest is a "disgrace for freedom of speech". The leader of the right-wing Party for Freedom also urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to ensure she is freed. POLITICS OVER PANOLI'S ARRESTThe arrest has become a political flashpoint, with opposition leaders and public figures accusing the West Bengal government of selective action and appeasement Party MLA Abu Azmi called for a new law to punish those who hurt religious sentiments. Speaking to ANI, he said, 'A law should be formulated against such people which gives a punishment of at least 10 years.'BJP MP and actress Kangana Ranaut came out in Panoli's defence on her Instagram story. 'I agree that Sharmishta used some unpleasant words for her expression, but such words most youngsters use these days. She apologised for her statements and that should be enough, no need to bully and harass her further. She should be released immediately," Ranaut leader Suvendu Adhikari accused the Trinamool Congress (TMC) of targeting Hindu voices. Speaking to reporters, Adhikari said, '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."'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," he Malviya, BJP IT Cell chief, echoed the sentiment, accusing Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee of hypocrisy: 'This isn't just about Bengal — this is about how a young Hindu woman is being targeted to appease a vote bank.'"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."advertisementAndhra Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan said Panoli had owned up to her mistake and apologised. He lambasted the TMC for 'deep, searing pain" when the party MPs mock Sanatana Dharma. 'Where is the outrage when our faith is called 'Gandha Dharm'? Where is their apology? Where is their swift arrest?" he a post on X, Sivaganga MP and Congress leader Karti Chidambaram said, 'These interstate arrests for social media posts (unless it's clearly demonstrated that it has lead to a law and order situation) is blatantly a misuse of police powers.'Panoli's arrest has reignited debate on the uneasy balance between freedom of expression and religious sensitivity in India's online discourse. While supporters of the arrest point to the need for accountability in public speech, critics warn against selective enforcement and the criminalisation of the case unfolds in court, it continues to fuel a broader national conversation: in a democracy, who gets to decide what crosses the line?
Indian Express
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Indian Express
Who is Sharmishta Panoli? Social media influencer arrested in Gurgaon over ‘communal' post on Operation Sindoor
Social media content creator Sharmishta Panoli, on Friday afternoon (May 30), was arrested in Haryana's Gurgaon over an alleged objectionable social media post. The 22-year-old law student in her now deleted video allegedly made communal remarks claiming that some Bollywood celebrities were silent on Operation Sindoor. The post reportedly triggered severe backlash online, with many social media users threatening Panoli in the comments section, accusing her of promoting hate speech. The trolling forced the influencer to take the post down and issue a public apology. '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 wrote in a post 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… — Sharmishta (@Sharmishta__19) May 15, 2025 Who is Sharmishta Panoli? Panoli is a 22-year-old social media influencer with a sizeable following- almost 85,000 followers on X and 90,000 on Instagram. A law student at the Symbiosis International University, Pune, she is a resident of Kolkata's Anandapur area. She grabbed headlines after posting a video on Instagram, where she allegedly questioned Hindi film actors' silence on Operation Sindoor. Before she deleted the post, several, including AIMIM's national spokesperson Waris Pathan, shared the purported video by her, alleging that she had insulted religious sentiments and tried to spread communal disharmony. He sought her arrest. A complaint was also filed against her in Kolkata, which was followed by notices to her and her family. When she decamped with her family, a court issued an arrest warrant against her, and she was nabbed in Gurgaon on Friday. #WATCH | Kolkata: Sharmistha Panoli, arrested from Gurugram by Kolkata Police for allegedly hurting religious sentiments through her comments on social media, produced in Alipore Court in Kolkata. — ANI (@ANI) May 31, 2025 Panoli has been booked under relevant sections for promoting enmity between different groups, malicious acts intended to outrage religious feelings, apart from intentional insult, provoking breach of peace, said a Kolkata Police officer, according to news agency PTI. 'Several attempts were made to send legal notices to Panoli and her family, but they disappeared. After that, the police placed the matter before the court. The court issued her arrest warrant, and on Friday night, Kolkata Police arrested her from Gurugram,' a Kolkata Police officer said. She was produced in a court on Saturday (May 31) in Alipore, which sent her to judicial custody until 13 June, after her bail plea was rejected. While leaving the court, she said, 'The way this harassment is being done in a democracy — this is not democracy.'
Time of India
5 days ago
- Time of India
Kol cops pick up law student from Ggn for post ‘hurting religious sentiments'
Kolkata: A law student at Symbiosis International University in Pune was on Friday arrested from Gurgaon by a Kolkata Police team for allegedly hurting religious sentiments in a video she posted on Instagram. The girl, who had been evading arrest, was apprehended following a court arrest warrant, said police, adding they acted after multiple protests in Kolkata. Her Instagram post reportedly contained "disrespectful and derogatory remarks", targeting a religion, while responding to a post on Operation Sindoor that the Instagrammer claimed was made by a Pakistani national. The girl lived in Kolkata earlier. "An FIR was lodged at the Garden Reach PS on May 15. Attempts to serve notice were not successful as the accused, with her family, absconded. A court issued an arrest warrant, based on which she was arrested from Gurgaon," said DC (port) Harikrishna Pai. Police said four FIRs had been pending against the student in Kolkata. The case has been registered under multiple sections, for promoting enmity between different groups on religious grounds and deliberate acts intended to outrage religious feelings. If convicted, she can face imprisonment, a fine or both. After the controversy broke out, the girl deleted her post and apologised on X, stating: "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... I expect co-operation and understanding. Henceforth, I will be cautious in my public post. Again, please accept my apologies." She claimed she received rape and death threats. "I am sorry... Dear Indians, I have been trolled, threatened to be attacked and to be raped, murdered, taught a lesson for venting my anger towards radical Pakistani terrorists who killed my innocent countrymen... Mene wo sab saha, kyunki mere liye mera desh pehle aata hai," she shared. Vidya Yeravdekar, pro-VC at Symbiosis International University, said, "This incident is not a reflection of the college. The motto of Symbiosis is 'Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam', which means the whole world is one family. Our ecosystem is such that we espouse respect for all religions and promote multiculturalism. We were shocked to see her post and took action as per the university code of conduct. A disciplinary committee was convened, which investigated the matter and gave the student a fair hearing. We issued her a notice on May 17, suspending her from all academic activities and debarred her from placements. She is a fourth-year student pursuing an integrated five-year law course. The students are on a break at the moment and have gone home. It is painful to see a student of ours hurting religious sentiments, and this goes against the very ethos of what Symbiosis stands for… ." About social media claims that the arrest was illegal, Kolkata Police said all legal procedures were followed. "We urge all concerned to refrain from spreading unverified or speculative content and to rely on authentic sources for information," KP posted on FB on Saturday. The girl was brought to Kolkata and the Alipore court on Saturday remanded her in judicial custody till June 13.
Khaleej Times
21-05-2025
- Business
- Khaleej Times
Some Dubai universities see waiting lists amid up to 120% rise in student enrolments
Dubai's higher education sector is booming, with private universities across the emirate reporting an unprecedented 20 per cent surge in student enrolment for the 2024–25 academic year. Several institutions are adapting waitlists to manage demand, especially for high-interest programmes in business, technology, and artificial intelligence (AI). While some waiting lists work based on academic criteria and interviews, others operate on a first-come, first-serve basis. 'We've seen a remarkable 120 per cent increase in student enrolments this year,' said Dr Anita Patankar, executive director of Symbiosis International University Dubai. 'This reflects not just growth in numbers, but in the trust placed in our globally relevant and CAA-accredited programmes.' Symbiosis Dubai attributes its soaring popularity to future-ready specialisations, particularly in and BCA programs with advanced AI concentrations. 'Our BBA and MBA programs are also in high demand, driven by Dubai's dynamic economy and the strong appetite for leadership roles,' added Dr Patankar. 'We've introduced waitlists for some undergraduate and postgraduate programs to ensure we maintain academic integrity while meeting demand.' The university evaluates waitlisted students based on specific academic and interview criteria, depending on the programme. For instance, applicants must meet a minimum of 65 per cent in PCM subjects, while MBA hopefuls undergo interviews following a preliminary eligibility screening. The latest figures reveal that 42,026 students are now enrolled across 41 private institutions, the highest number on record, with Emirati enrollment also growing by a record 22 per cent. International students, too, are flocking to the city, now making up 35 per cent of the student body, a 29 per cent increase over the previous year. The broader trend reflects an increasingly competitive admissions landscape. University of Europe for Applied Sciences Dubai (UE Dubai) has also recorded a 25–30 per cent increase in enrollment. 'Our Business, Data Science, and MBA programmes are leading the way,' said a UE Dubai spokesperson. 'When application volumes are high, we do implement waiting lists. Seats are offered on a first-come, first-serve basis, and early applications significantly improve a student's chances.' In line with Dubai's rise as an international education hub, universities are also seeing more students from across the GCC, Africa, and Southeast Asia seeking quality, accredited, and globally connected academic pathways. Meanwhile, some organisations are sidestepping waitlists entirely by taking a different approach to scaling. The Abdulla Al Ghurair Foundation (AGF), which focuses on empowering Emirati and Arab youth through education, has witnessed close to 14,000 new enrollments across its programmes between January and May 2025. 'We don't believe in waitlists, we scale what works,' said Dr Sonia Ben Jaafar, CEO of AGF. 'Our aim is to remove barriers, not reinforce them. Whether it's through digital literacy, cybersecurity, or gaming, our programmes meet youth where they are, and expand to meet demand.' AGF's Massar Al Ghurair platform, powered by AI, helps students identify personalised learning paths aligned with UAE's job market trends. The focus, Dr Jaafar said, is less on traditional performance metrics and more on mindset and potential. 'When learning is relevant and certified, youth show up, ready to lead,' she added. The current wave of student interest is being driven by a convergence of factors: Dubai's positioning as a multicultural, innovation-driven city; strategic bilateral education initiatives; and student demand for programmes that align with emerging industries like AI, digital media, and data science. To support this momentum, universities are urging prospective students to act early. 'Early application is key,' advised the UE Dubai spokesperson. 'Not only does it speed up admissions, but it also opens access to scholarships and reduces stress around relocation and finances.'
