Manan Kumar Mishra, Chairman of the Bar Council of India and senior advocate at the Supreme Court, has voiced strong support for social media influencer and law student Sharmistha Panoli following her recent arrest.
In a statement issued on Sunday, Mishra denounced the arrest as “an absolute failure of justice” and “a blatant assault on freedom of expression,” affirming that he “firmly stands with” Panoli.
Panoli was arrested by Kolkata Police late Friday night from Gurugram, Haryana, for allegedly making ‘communal’ remarks in now-deleted social media videos related to Operation Sindoor. She has been accused of hurting religious sentiments.
Sharmistha Panoli’s courage exposes the #Bengal government’s hypocrisy – swift to crush dissent, silent on hate from their own/selected.
— Manan Kumar Mishra (@MishraManan01) June 1, 2025
Selective enforcement for vote-bank politics is a stain on democracy. #IStandWithSharmishtha #SharmisthaPanoli, #ReleaseSharmistha pic.twitter.com/IU1Ag0y9R3
Criticizing both the West Bengal government and Kolkata Police, Mishra accused them of engaging in “excessive, selective, and politically motivated action,” targeting individuals from certain communities while disregarding more serious offenses by others.
He cited several incidents, including the Marichjhanpi massacre, the Nandigram violence, and the recent Murshidabad riots—allegedly “state-sponsored”—to argue that the administration repeatedly fails to protect innocent lives and obstructs the deployment of central forces.
Calling the situation “deeply troubling,” Mishra condemned the state government for opposing Operation Sindoor—a counter-terror mission in response to the killing of innocents—while simultaneously suppressing dissent from individuals like Panoli.
Referring to her deleted videos, Mishra argued that her choice of words does not amount to blasphemy and called her arrest an example of scapegoating and punitive overreach.
“True democracy demands impartiality, restraint, and the equal protection of rights—not selective outrage and political vendetta,” Mishra concluded.
