New Delhi: Sharmishtha Panoli, who was arrested last year in connection with a controversial video on Operation Sindoor, on Thursday blamed the then Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress government’s “appeasement politics” for her arrest.
On one year of the Operation Sindoor, Panoli described that there were two facets of her arrest.
“We have seen that Trinamool leaders have been using inappropriate language against Hindu Gods and Goddesses. But that they have covered that under freedom of speech,” she told IANS.
“However, what I had said in support of the Armed Forces during Operation Sindoor was taken out of context and was termed religious hate,” she added.
In May 2025, an FIR was filed against Panoli in Kolkata.
She claimed that the West Bengal Police travelled five states away just to arrest her despite her issuing an apology.
“It was unwarranted and a sign of appeasement politics,” she alleged. Further, she accused the Trinamool Congress government of “abuse of power”.
Panoli also claimed that the Mamata Banerjee-led government’s reaction towards her was a part of “political game”.
“She (Banerjee) wanted to please her vote bank,” she said.
Moreover, Panoli said, “I was very surprised that the state of West Bengal has so many resources to travel so far just to arrest a law student despite my apology.”
“I think if the state had so much resources, then why did the government not work in the RG Kar case and punish those indulging in corruption,” she added.
However, she accepted that the language she had used in the post was an issue. She clarified that though she wanted to stand up for the victims of the Pahalgam attack but did not intend to hurt any religious sentiment.
“I wanted to speak against Pakistan’s terrorists. But the matter was taken out of context, and my family and I were harassed,” she said.
Panoli expressed her happiness that the BJP has now come to power in West Bengal. “I am happy and proud that the people of Bengal stood up for themselves by voting for democracy,” she asserted.
(IANS)
