A First Information Report (FIR) has been registered against Mamata Banerjee following allegations that she made derogatory remarks about Sanatan Dharma during an Eid celebration in Kolkata last year. The complaint was filed at the Siliguri Cyber Police Station by advocate Rinki Chatterjee Singh, who accused the Trinamool Congress (TMC) chief of hurting religious sentiments and promoting communal discord through her public statements. The case has added a fresh political dimension to the ongoing tensions between the ruling TMC and the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in West Bengal.

According to the complaint, Banerjee allegedly referred to Sanatan Dharma as “ganda dharma,” a phrase translated as “dirty religion,” during a public event linked to Eid-ul-Fitr celebrations. The complainant argued that the statement deeply offended millions of followers of Hinduism and amounted to an insult against a major religious community. The FIR also mentions another alleged remark made during the 2026 West Bengal Assembly election campaign, where Banerjee purportedly warned that if a particular community attacked Hindus, “their 12 ta beje jabe,” a Bengali expression implying severe consequences.

Police have registered the case under multiple sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), India’s revised criminal code that replaced several provisions of the Indian Penal Code. The charges include Section 351(1) related to criminal intimidation, Section 352 concerning intentional insult aimed at provoking a breach of peace, and Section 353(2), which deals with the dissemination of statements intended to create hatred or enmity between religious groups. Officials have not yet publicly commented on the next stage of the investigation or whether Banerjee will be summoned for questioning.

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The controversy intensified after senior BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari publicly criticised Banerjee over the alleged remarks. In a strongly worded post on X, Adhikari accused the Chief Minister of insulting Sanatan Hindu Dharma and using communal rhetoric for political purposes. He questioned which religion Banerjee was referring to when she allegedly used the phrase “Ganda Dharm” and claimed her speech at the Red Road Eid gathering focused more on riots and communal tensions than on the religious festival itself.

Adhikari further alleged that Banerjee’s statements were part of a broader strategy of religious appeasement aimed at consolidating minority votes ahead of future elections. The BJP leader accused the TMC government of “weaponising religion” and attempting to create divisions between communities for political gain. His comments quickly gained traction on social media, with supporters of both parties engaging in heated exchanges over the interpretation of Banerjee’s remarks and their political implications.

The incident has once again highlighted the increasingly polarised political climate in West Bengal, where religion and identity politics continue to dominate public discourse ahead of the 2026 Assembly elections. While opposition parties have demanded accountability and stronger action, TMC leaders have often accused the BJP of selectively targeting Banerjee and attempting to communalise political debates in the state. As the investigation proceeds, the case is expected to remain a significant flashpoint in West Bengal’s already charged political environment.

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