“Geert Wilders, Member of the Dutch House of Representatives and a vocal supporter of Hindu rights, has expressed support for 22-year-old Sharmishta Panoli following her arrest by the West Bengal Police over a social media post.
Free the brave Sharmishta Panoli!
It’s a disgrace for the freedom of speech that she was arrested.
Don’t punish her for speaking the truth about Pakistan and Muhammad.
Help her @narendramodi! @AmyMek #Sharmishta#IStandwithSharmishta #ReleaseSharmistha #FreeSharmishta pic.twitter.com/YhGSLhuyr2
— Geert Wilders (@geertwilderspvv) May 31, 2025
On May 14, 2025, social media influencer Sharmishta was subjected to a wave of online threats, including death and rape threats, after a video of her responding to a Pakistani user went viral. The backlash primarily came from users identifying as members of the Muslim community. The controversy stemmed from Sharmishta’s reaction to a comment made by a Pakistani Instagram user who questioned India’s response to terror attacks and appeared to deny the targeted killing of Hindus in the recent Pahalgam incident.
In the video, Sharmishta criticized the denial of religious profiling in the Pahalgam attack, where Indian security agencies reported that terrorists confirmed victims’ religious identity before killing them. According to official reports, a group linked to Pakistan-based terror outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba, including a former Pakistani army official, was responsible for the killing of 26 civilians.
Sharmishta’s response video included strong language and mockery of certain beliefs often associated with jihadist narratives. Her comments were directed at the Pakistani user but were later interpreted by some as offensive towards the Islamic prophet.
Following the video’s circulation, several individuals and groups on social media accused Sharmishta of blasphemy and demanded police action. One user, Mohammad Shadab Khan, publicly declared his intent to file a police complaint, stating that the influencer had made derogatory remarks about Prophet Muhammad and called for action from Kolkata Police and government authorities.
Online platforms also picked up the issue. A website, The Observer Post, called for legal action, alleging that Sharmishta had made repeated offensive comments.
A Twitter user named @/Sharmishta__19 has made repeated hateful comments against Prophet Muhammad. Netizens are demanding immediate legal action against her under relevant BNS sections. pic.twitter.com/t0Vj0PPNSa
— The Observer Post (@TheObserverPost) May 14, 2025
Additionally, political figure Waris Pathan, associated with the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM), joined the calls for her arrest, claiming her words were inflammatory and could provoke communal unrest.
ये है @Sharmishta__19 इस ने हमारे नबी ( pbuh ) के बारे में बहुत ही बेहूदा अल्फ़ाज़ इस्तेमाल किया है जो कोई भी मुसलमान बर्दाश्त नहीं करेगा।
जब पूरा देश एक साथ मिलकर
खड़ा है इस वक्त इस तरह की भाषा बोलकर ये देश में साम्प्रदायक तनाव फैलाने की कोशिश कर रही है।
हमारी भारत के ग्रह… pic.twitter.com/X9DEVEk8ZU— Waris Pathan (@warispathan) May 14, 2025
As of now, the situation remains tense, with legal complaints reportedly being prepared, while debates over freedom of expression, online conduct, and the boundaries of religious sensitivity continue.
The influencer’s detention has ignited a political dispute, with the BJP and its supporters attacking the Mamata Banerjee administration in West Bengal. A Kolkata complaint led to an FIR under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita provisions for promoting religious enmity, outraging religious feelings, and intentionally insulting to incite a breach of peace. She was presented before the court and placed in judicial custody for 14 days.
Jana Kalyan Sena leader Pawan Kalyan took to X to voice his reaction to her arrest.
Subscribe to our channels on Telegram, WhatsApp, and Instagram and get the best stories of the day delivered to you personally.
