Sharmistha Panoli, a 22-year-old Indian social media activist known for her affiliation with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), was detained by West Bengal police from Gurgaon on charges of posting derogatory remarks against Muslims and Islam.
The arrest follows a series of inflammatory posts made by Panoli on various social media platforms, which authorities say amounted to hate speech and threatened communal harmony.
The move comes amid heightened tensions following the failure of the so-called “Operation Sindoor,” after which right-wing extremists reportedly intensified their rhetoric.
Panoli’s detention has triggered a sharp political reaction, with BJP leaders voicing strong opposition to the police action. Prominent BJP-affiliated figures, including Pawan Kalyan and Amit Malviya, have publicly defended the social media activist, condemning what they describe as a suppression of free speech. Bollywood actress Kangana Ranaut, a vocal supporter of the Modi government, also demanded Panoli’s immediate release, describing the arrest as unjust.
The incident adds another layer to the ongoing tussle between the ruling Trinamool Congress government in West Bengal, led by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The two parties have been engaged in a bitter political struggle, with communal issues often taking centre stage.
West Bengal police officials, while confirming Panoli’s arrest, emphasised that the action was taken strictly in accordance with the law to maintain peace and prevent any communal unrest.
