BCI Chairman M.K. Mishra Demands Sharmistha Panoli’s Release Amid Ongoing Suppression of Free Speech
(Judicial Quest News Network)
I stand in firm solidarity with Sharmistha Panoli, a young law student whose arrest and judicial custody over a now-deleted social media video—despite her prompt and sincere apology—represent a grave miscarriage of justice and a direct assault on the fundamental right to free expression.
This case is yet another example of the Bengal government and Kolkata Police’s disturbing pattern of selective, excessive, and politically motivated action. Individuals from certain communities are routinely targeted for their views, while far more serious provocations and crimes by others are ignored, condoned, or actively shielded by the state apparatus.
History is replete with examples of such bias and complicity in West Bengal—from the Marichjhanpi massacre of Hindu refugees, to the Nandigram violence, political killings, and more recently, the Murshidabad riots, where the administration failed to protect innocent lives and obstructed the deployment of central forces. These instances reflect a long-standing and dangerous trend of appeasement politics, where state-backed silence and inaction embolden perpetrators of violence against specific communities.
What makes this situation even more troubling is the hypocrisy of the current government. The same administration that publicly opposed Operation Sindoor—a counter-terror operation launched in response to the brutal killing of civilians—now seeks to punish a student for daring to question such double standards.
A poor choice of words, particularly when immediately retracted and apologized for, cannot and should not be construed as criminal blasphemy. It is unconscionable that a young woman is being made a scapegoat, subjected to harsh legal consequences, while systemic violence and deep-rooted injustice against certain communities remain unpunished and, often, unacknowledged.
True democracy demands equal treatment under the law, respect for dissenting voices, and justice that is blind to political or communal identity. Selective outrage and targeted vendettas are a threat to the very fabric of our Republic.
I call on the Bengal government and its police to urgently course-correct—release Sharmistha Panoli without delay, ensure a fair and impartial trial, and put an end to this dangerous pattern of selective justice.
