NDA slams arrest of influencer, cites bias against Sanatanis

Instagram influencer and law student Sharmishta Panoli was arrested on Friday by Kolkata Police from Gurugram, Haryana, over an alleged communal video related to India’s Operation Sindoor. The video reportedly criticized several Bollywood actors for their silence on the military operation. Her arrest has sparked strong reactions, especially from leaders within the National Democratic Alliance (NDA).

According to her lawyer, Panoli was remanded to judicial custody until June 13.

Political Backlash Over Arrest

Panoli’s arrest has drawn widespread criticism from Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders and other NDA allies. Suvendu Adhikari, Leader of the Opposition in the West Bengal Assembly, condemned the arrest and accused the Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress (TMC) government of targeting "Sanatanis" while ignoring similar or worse offenses from its own ranks.

“The TMC’s appeasement politics is evident. This is not justice—it’s selective action,” Adhikari said, claiming that TMC MPs who have allegedly insulted Sanatana Dharma face no consequences.

He further stated, “Blasphemy must always be condemned. Secularism cannot be a shield for some and a sword against others. The West Bengal Police must remember that the nation is watching.”

Video Sparked Social Media Outrage

Panoli, a student at Pune’s Law University, allegedly posted a video on social media that led to widespread outrage. In the video, she criticized some Hindi film actors for not voicing support for Operation Sindoor, a military operation recently carried out by Indian forces.

The case has now ignited debates around freedom of speech, religious sentiment, and political bias in law enforcement.