Siliguri police have registered a case against Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee after a lawyer accused the former West Bengal chief minister of hurting Hindu religious sentiments through remarks allegedly made in connection with Sanatan Dharma.
The complaint, filed by advocate Rinki Chatterjee Singh at the Siliguri Cyber Police Station, has opened a fresh political flashpoint in West Bengal weeks after the state’s change in government. The case names Banerjee over alleged comments that the complainant says were insulting to followers of Hinduism and capable of disturbing communal harmony.
The FIR has been registered under provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, including sections dealing with criminal intimidation, intentional insult and statements that may promote public mischief or enmity. Police action follows a written complaint that referred to Banerjee’s speech at an Eid gathering on Kolkata’s Red Road in 2025 and to remarks allegedly repeated during the Assembly election campaign this year.
Chatterjee Singh has alleged that Banerjee used the expression “ganda dharma”, meaning “dirty religion”, while referring to Sanatan Dharma. The complainant said the words caused deep offence to Hindus and amounted to an attempt to create insecurity and disharmony among religious communities. The allegation remains subject to police investigation, and Banerjee has not been convicted of any offence.
The complaint also refers to political speeches made during a highly charged election season in which religious identity, citizenship, welfare schemes and alleged appeasement became central themes. Banerjee and the Trinamool Congress repeatedly accused the Bharatiya Janata Party of polarising voters, while BJP leaders charged the former ruling party with pursuing minority-focused politics at the expense of the Hindu majority.
The case has gained wider political significance because it comes after the 2026 Assembly election, which ended 15 years of Trinamool rule in West Bengal. The BJP, led in the state by Suvendu Adhikari, secured a decisive majority, while the Trinamool Congress was sharply reduced in the Assembly. Banerjee, who had dominated state politics since 2011, is now operating from the opposition space while retaining control of her party organisation.
For the BJP, the FIR offers another opportunity to frame Banerjee’s politics as hostile to Hindu sentiment. Party leaders have repeatedly cited her appearances at Eid gatherings, her criticism of majoritarian politics and her outreach to minority communities as evidence of what they describe as selective secularism. Trinamool leaders, by contrast, have long argued that Banerjee’s public messaging is rooted in Bengal’s tradition of religious coexistence and that her opponents selectively quote her speeches to inflame sentiment.
Red Road in Kolkata has often served as a symbolic venue for Banerjee’s public appearances during Eid prayers. Her speeches at such events have typically blended festive greetings with political messaging, appeals for communal harmony and criticism of the BJP. The latest complaint, however, places those remarks under legal scrutiny at a time when the state’s political balance has shifted.
Legal experts say cases involving religious sentiment often turn on context, intent and the exact words used. Police will have to examine recordings, transcripts, witness statements and the complainant’s materials before deciding the course of investigation. Any prosecution would need to establish not only that the remarks were made, but that they met the legal threshold for criminal liability under the cited provisions.
The case also raises questions about the use of criminal law in political disputes. India has seen a growing number of complaints against public figures over remarks linked to religion, caste, national identity and community relations. Supporters of such action argue that public leaders must be held accountable when their language risks social tension. Critics warn that criminal complaints can become tools of partisan pressure, especially when filed after a change in political power.
Banerjee’s party is expected to contest the allegations politically and legally. Trinamool leaders are likely to argue that the complaint is part of a broader campaign to target opposition figures in West Bengal after the BJP’s electoral victory. The BJP is expected to maintain pressure by presenting the case as a test of equal treatment under the law.
For Siliguri police, the immediate task is procedural: record statements, verify the content of the speeches cited in the complaint and determine whether further notices or questioning are required. The case may also draw attention from higher courts if Banerjee or her party seeks protection from coercive action or challenges the FIR.
