Complaint accuses former Bengal CM of hurting religious sentiments and promoting communal disharmony
An FIR has been registered against former West Bengal Chief Minister and TMC chief Mamata Banerjee over alleged remarks concerning Sanatan Dharma made during an Eid event in Kolkata last year.
The complaint was filed by advocate Rinki Chatterjee Singh at the Siliguri Cyber Police Station. It alleges that Banerjee’s comments hurt the religious sentiments of Hindus and promoted communal disharmony.
According to the complaint, the Trinamool Congress leader allegedly referred to Sanatan Dharma as “ganda dharma” or “dirty religion,” a statement the complainant said offended millions of followers of the faith.
The FIR also mentions remarks allegedly made by Banerjee during the 2026 West Bengal Assembly election campaign, where she purportedly warned that if a particular community attacked Hindus, “their 12 ta beje jabe,” a Bengali colloquial phrase implying severe consequences.
“Hum ‘Ganda Dharm’ ko nahi manta hai”. – Mamata Banerjee
Kaun sa Dharm ganda hai Ms. Mamata Banerjee?
Appeasing the Muslim Community at the Red Road with your almost incomprehensible gibberish Urdu dialect, you made a statement that you don’t follow the ‘Ganda Dharm’ or ‘Dirty… pic.twitter.com/JpLWYV5JYG
— Suvendu Adhikari (@SuvenduWB) March 31, 2025
The complainant argued that such statements were intended to create fear among voters and fuel communal tensions during the election period.
Police have reportedly registered the case under multiple provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), including Section 351(1) related to criminal intimidation, Section 352 dealing with intentional insult intended to provoke a breach of peace, and Section 353(2), which concerns statements promoting hatred or enmity between religious groups.
The controversy intensified after senior BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari publicly criticised Banerjee over the alleged remarks earlier this year.
In a post on X, Adhikari questioned which religion Banerjee was referring to while allegedly using the phrase “Ganda Dharm” during an Eid-ul-Fitr event at Red Road in Kolkata. He accused the TMC chief of indulging in divisive politics and attempting to appease one community while insulting another.
The BJP leader further alleged that Banerjee’s speech focused more on communal issues and riots than on the religious occasion itself, escalating the political confrontation between the BJP and the Trinamool Congress ahead of the state polls.
For all the latest updates, download PGurus App.
