New Delhi, June 1 Joining other celebrities in supporting creator Sharmistha Panoli, Bollywood star Kangana Ranaut on Sunday said the former’s arrest over a now-deleted social media post was ‘unjustified’ and amounted to a North Korea-type dictatorship.
Kangana, known for essaying characters of strong women in her films, also expressed concerns over the damage caused to the influencer-cum-law student’s career after her arrest by Kolkata Police.
“No girl or daughter should be subjected to such high-handedness,” said Ranaut while talking to the media on the sidelines of an event in Delhi.
Targeting the Trinamool government in West Bengal, the National Award-winning actress and BJP MP from Mandi in Himachal Pradesh, said, “I request the government of West Bengal not to make the state another North Korea.”
“Every citizen has democratic rights…if she made an objectionable comment, she also apologised for it later. She seems to have made the comment in a general context. Youngsters today use such language in the normal course,” she said, putting up a strong case for Sharmistha’s release.
Earlier, actor-cum-politician and Andhra Pradesh’s Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan showed solidarity with Sharmistha and asked West Bengal Police to act justly.
Condemning the alleged double standards of the state police on matters related to religion, Kalyan said in a post on X, “But what about the deep, searing pain inflicted upon millions when elected leaders, MPs of TMC, mock Sanatana Dharma? Where is the outrage when our faith is called 'Gandha Dharm'? Where is their apology? Where is their swift arrest?”
“Blasphemy must be condemned, always! Secularism isn't a shield for some and a sword for others. It must be a two-way street. West Bengal Police, the nation is watching. Act justly for all,” said the BJP MP
Twenty-two-year-old Sharmistha was arrested on Saturday from Gurugram in Haryana, by Kolkata Police for posting videos containing communal remarks during Operation Sindoor.
Sharmistha had later deleted the video and issued a public apology.
The FIR filed against her at Garden Reach Police Station on May 15 includes charges under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita for promoting enmity on religious grounds, deliberately outraging religious feelings, and provoking a breach of peace.
After her arrest, the law student was produced in court, which sent her to 14-day judicial custody.
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