Bar Council of India Chairperson and BJP Rajya Sabha MP, Manan Kumar Mishra, has strongly criticized the arrest of law student Sharmishta Panoli by the Kolkata Police. Panoli was taken into custody over a social media post allegedly hurting religious sentiments.

In a sharply worded statement, Mishra denounced the legal action as arbitrary and disproportionate.

“Mere wrong choice of words cannot be attributed a blasphemous character,” he said. “It is unconscionable that a young law student is made a scapegoat and subjected to harsh legal action, while past atrocities committed against certain communities by government-sponsored individuals and entities remain unaddressed.”

Calling for immediate corrective action, Mishra urged the West Bengal government and the Kolkata Police to uphold the principles of democracy and constitutional rights:

“True democracy demands impartiality, restraint, and equal protection of rights—not selective outrage and political vendetta,” he stated.
“I call upon the Bengal government and its police to abandon this dangerous path of targeting select voices. I demand Sharmishta's immediate release, a fair trial, and an end to the double standards that have long marred the state's justice system.”

The BCI Chairperson emphasized that Panoli had already issued a public apology and taken down the video in question. He asserted that the Right to Freedom of Speech and Expression cannot be casually set aside by the state government.

“I stand firmly with Sharmishta Panoli,” Mishra added. “Her arrest and continued judicial custody—despite her prompt apology—reflects a serious failure of justice and a disturbing assault on free expression. This incident once again highlights the pattern of excessive, selective, and politically motivated action by the Bengal administration, which appears more interested in silencing dissent than in ensuring fairness.”