After the influencer Sharmishta Panoli was arrested by Kolkata Police, Dutch Member of Parliament Geert Wilders confirmed help and shared an ‘All Eyes On Sharmishtha’ Poster on the social media platform X.
The 22-year-old Indian legislation scholar was arrested for allegedly hurting spiritual sentiments by way of her social media posts.
Within the publish, the Dutch MP wrote, “Free the courageous Sharmishta Panoli!” He added that it’s “a shame for the liberty of speech” that she was arrested.
“Don’t punish her for talking the reality about Pakistan and Muhammad,” Wilders wrote.
Free the courageous Sharmishta Panoli!
It’s a shame for the liberty of speech that she was arrested.
Don’t punish her for talking the reality about Pakistan and Muhammad.
Assist her @narendramodi! @AmyMek #Sharmishta#IStandwithSharmishta #ReleaseSharmistha #FreeSharmishta pic.twitter.com/YhGSLhuyr2
— Geert Wilders (@geertwilderspvv) Might 31, 2025
Sharmishta Panoli’s Arrest
Sharmishta Panoli was arrested on Saturday in Kolkata for posting movies containing communal remarks throughout Operation Sindoor.
The Indian Armed Forces’ Operation Sindoor was launched through the wee hours of Might 7, concentrating on terrorist infrastructure websites in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK). These steps got here after the ugly terror assault in Pahalgam during which 26 people had been killed.
In response to IANS, the FIR filed in opposition to her consists of costs underneath the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) for selling enmity on spiritual grounds, intentionally outraging spiritual emotions, and scary a breach of peace. Regardless of deleting the video and issuing a public apology, Panoli was produced in court docket and despatched 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, referred to as her arrest “vote-bank vendetta.”
In a publish on X, he wrote, “No riots. No unrest. But Mamata Banerjee’s police acted in a single day — not for justice, however for appeasement.”
“However when TMC leaders insult Sanatan Dharma, name Jai Shri Ram a gaali, mock Maha Kumbh, and push communal poison — there’s no FIR, no arrest, no apology,” he added.
Alternatively, Congress chief and MP Karti P. Chidambaram additionally condemned the arrest and referred to as it a ‘blatant misuse of police powers’.
(with IANS inputs)