Taking to X (formerly Twitter), the far-right Dutch lawmaker shared a poster reading “All eyes on Sharmishta Panoli” and urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to secure her release. (Source: geertwilders.nl)As political tensions rise between the BJP and TMC over the arrest of law student and social media influencer Sharmistha Panoli, Dutch MP Geert Wilders has voiced his support for her, defending her right to free speech.Calling her arrest “a disgrace” and referring to Panoli as “brave,” the 61-year-old MP said she should not be penalised for expressing her views.Taking to X (formerly Twitter), the far-right Dutch lawmaker shared a poster reading “All eyes on Sharmishta Panoli” and urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to secure her release.“Free the brave Sharmishta Panoli! It’s a disgrace for freedom of speech that she was arrested. Don’t punish her for speaking the truth about Pakistan and Muhammad. Help her @narendramodi! @AmyMek,” Wilders posted.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, 2025Panoli’s arrest has sparked a political storm in India, with BJP leaders demanding her immediate release. Party members argue that the law student had already deleted the contentious video and issued an apology, and claim that her arrest constitutes unfair targeting.The controversy stems from a now-deleted video in which Panoli allegedly made communal remarks, accusing some Bollywood celebrities of remaining silent on Operation Sindoor. The video triggered significant backlash, with many accusing her of spreading hate speech and threatening her online.In a public statement, Panoli offered an apology, writing: “I do hereby tender my unconditional apology. Whatever was put are my personal feelings and I never intentionally wanted to hurt anybody, so if anybody is hurt, I’m sorry for the same. I expect co-operation and understanding. Henceforth, I will be cautious in my public post. Again, please accept my apologies.”Panoli, a law student at Symbiosis International University, enjoys a substantial following on social media with nearly 85,000 followers on X and 90,000 on Instagram. A resident of Kolkata’s Anandapur area, she has been charged under sections related to promoting enmity between groups, acts intended to outrage religious feelings, intentional insult, and provocation likely to cause a breach of peace, according to the Kolkata Police, as reported by PTI.Story continues below this ad“Several attempts were made to serve legal notices to Panoli and her family, but they went incommunicado. The matter was then presented before the court, which issued an arrest warrant. On Friday night, she was arrested from Gurugram by Kolkata Police,” an officer said.Panoli was produced before a court in Alipore on Saturday, which remanded her to judicial custody until June 13 after rejecting her bail plea. Speaking to reporters while leaving the courtroom, she said, “The way this harassment is being done in a democracy — this is not democracy.”Stay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on Instagram© IE Online Media Services Pvt LtdTags:Operation Sindoor