Sharmistha Panoli is a 22-year-old law student and Instagram influencer from Pune, who is nowadays trending on many social media platforms, and ignited debates about freedom of speech, religion, and online accountability. All this began after she posted a short video on her Instagram account, which turned into a national headline, with the hashtag #ReleaseSharmistha trending on Twitter and other platforms.
What Is The Controversy All About?
The issue began when Panoli posted a video reacting to Operation Sindoor, a counter-terror operation carried out in Jammu and Kashmir. In her video, she questioned why the Bollywood celebrities are silent on this matter, while it is said that she also made some remarks towards the Muslim community, which were considered derogatory towards the community and the Prophet Muhammad. Although the video was deleted soon after being posted and Panoli issued a public apology, the damage had already been done. The clip had gone viral and ignited widespread criticism from people across the country.
Legal Actions Taken Against Her
After all this, a complaint was lodged against her in Kolkata, and she was summoned multiple times by the Kolkata Police. After tackling these summons for a long time, she was arrested in Gurugram and was transported to Kolkata. A city court has since remanded her to 14 days of judicial custody.
She now faces several serious charges under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), including- Promoting enmity between different religious communities and saying statements that would hinder the peace of the country.
#ReleaseSharmistha Trends on Twitter
The arrest of Sharmistha Panoli has sparked a social media firestorm, with the hashtag #ReleaseSharmistha trending on X. Supporters have argued that her arrest violates the right to freedom of speech and expression.
Popular leaders, including actress and Member of Parliament Kangana Ranaut, have joined the conversation and have demanded Panoli’s release. She acknowledged that while Panoli’s language in the video may have been inappropriate, but it still did not deserve the harsh legal consequences she is facing.
People are resharing the video of Panoli in which, while she was getting arrested, she shouted, “The amount of harassment you have done, this is not Democracy.” Different people have different opinions, while some people are supporting her with hashtags, some are saying that she deserved it.
