A Hindu social media influencer, Sharmishta, is at the center of a escalating controversy after a video of her mocking a Pakistani troll went viral, triggering a wave of death, rape, and “Sar tan se juda” (behead) threats from an online Muslim mob.
The uproar began on May 14, 2025, when Islamists accused Sharmishta of insulting Prophet Muhammad, sparking outrage and demands for legal action, including from prominent political figures.
The controversy stems from a heated exchange on Instagram, where a Pakistani user questioned the role of Pakistani terrorists in the brutal Pahalgam massacre, which claimed 26 lives.
The user wrote, “How did you confirm that Pakistani opened fire your country? You country started war without any valid reason?” The comment referred to the attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, where Indian security forces confirmed that a former Pakistani Army official, Hashim Must, along with jihadis from The Resistance Front—an offshoot of the Pakistan-based terror outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba—killed 26 non-Muslims after verifying their religious identity.
In response, Sharmishta, known on social media as @Sharmishta__19, posted a video angrily mocking the Pakistani user. She criticized the denial of Pakistan’s role in the attack and sarcastically referenced Islamic concepts like “72 hoors” and the Prophet Muhammad, associating them with the motivations of jihadi terrorists.
“You think India started a war without any reason? Have you heard of the Pahalgam attack or other Pakistan-sponsored terror attacks in the past? Should Indian forces just sit and do nothing?” Sharmishta asked in the video, which contained abusive language and a charged tone.
The video, intended as a retort to the Pakistani troll and a critique of jihadi ideology, was quickly taken out of context by Indian Islamists. Edited clips began circulating on social media, with claims that Sharmishta had insulted Prophet Muhammad.
This sparked a vicious backlash, with Islamists flooding her social media accounts with abusive messages, threats of violence, and calls for her beheading.
One user, Mohammad Shadab Khan, publicly threatened to file a police complaint, stating, “Insult to the Prophet Muhammad (SAW) Will Not Be Tolerated, Action Must Be Taken! A Social Media Influencer named @Sharmishta__19 has made a vile and hateful remark against our beloved Prophet Muhammad (SAW) under the guise of targeting Pakistan. Let it be clear, no political agenda justifies blasphemy. We strongly demand that @KolkataPolice immediately register a case and initiate strict action against this hate-monger. Tomorrow, a formal complaint will be sent to both the Chief Minister’s @MamataOfficial Office and the @BengalGovernor demanding accountability.”
Insult to the Prophet Muahmmad (SAW)
Will Not Be Tolerated, Action Must Be Taken!🚨An Social Media Influencer named@Sharmishta__19 has made a vile and hateful
remark against our beloved Prophet Muhammad
(SAW) under the guise of targeting Pakistan. Let it
be clear, no political… pic.twitter.com/jVPEwtCbha— Mohd Shadab Khan (@VoxShadabKhan) May 14, 2025
The Observer Post, an Islamist-leaning outlet often criticised for promoting a Muslim victimhood narrative, amplified the controversy, claiming, “A Twitter user named @/Sharmishta__19 has made repeated hateful comments against Prophet Muhammad. Netizens are demanding immediate legal action against her under relevant BNS sections.”
A Twitter user named @/Sharmishta__19 has made repeated hateful comments against Prophet Muhammad. Netizens are demanding immediate legal action against her under relevant BNS sections. pic.twitter.com/t0Vj0PPNSa
— The Observer Post (@TheObserverPost) May 14, 2025
The situation escalated further when Waris Pathan, a leader of the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM), joined the fray. Pathan posted on social media, “This is @Sharmishta__19 who has used very derogatory words about our Prophet (pbuh), which no Muslim will tolerate. When the entire country is standing together at this time, by speaking such language, she is trying to spread communal tension in the country. We request the Home Minister of India @HMOIndia to immediately take her into custody and take strict legal action.”
ये है @Sharmishta__19 इस ने हमारे नबी ( pbuh ) के बारे में बहुत ही बेहूदा अल्फ़ाज़ इस्तेमाल किया है जो कोई भी मुसलमान बर्दाश्त नहीं करेगा।
जब पूरा देश एक साथ मिलकर
खड़ा है इस वक्त इस तरह की भाषा बोलकर ये देश में साम्प्रदायक तनाव फैलाने की कोशिश कर रही है।
हमारी भारत के ग्रह… pic.twitter.com/X9DEVEk8ZU— Waris Pathan (@warispathan) May 14, 2025
The controversy bears striking similarities to the 2022 Nupur Sharma case, where the then-BJP spokesperson faced a similar onslaught of threats after her comments about Prophet Muhammad, made in response to derogatory remarks about a Hindu deity, were taken out of context.
An edited clip of Sharma’s remarks, circulated by AltNews co-founder Mohammed Zubair, led to death and rape threats against her and her family. Like Sharma, Sharmishta is now facing a barrage of violent threats, raising concerns about the recurring pattern of online outrage and targeted harassment.
Amid the unrelenting abuse, Sharmishta took to X to share screenshots of the threats she received, including messages threatening rape, murder, and physical attacks. In a heartfelt post, she wrote, “I’M SORRY… Dear Indians, I have been trolled, threatened to be attacked and to be rap*d, murdered and taught a lesson for venting my anger towards Radical Pakistani terrorists who killed my innocent countrymen in the horrific Pahalgam terror attack. Mene wo sab saha, kyunki mere liye mera desh pehle aata hai.”
— Sharmishta (@Sharmishta__19) May 15, 2025
In an attempt to de-escalate the situation, Sharmishta issued an unconditional apology on May 15, 2025, stating, “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.”
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…
— Sharmishta (@Sharmishta__19) May 15, 2025
Despite her apology, the threats and demands for legal action have continued unabated, with many questioning whether her apology will quell the outrage.
The controversy reflects a broader pattern of Islamists leveraging accusations of blasphemy to silence critics, particularly Hindus addressing issues of terrorism or communal violence. They point to the Pahalgam attack, where victims were explicitly targeted for their Hindu identity, as the original context of Sharmishta’s outburst, which was ignored in the ensuing uproar.
As the situation unfolds, questions remain about whether authorities will act on the complaints against Sharmishta or address the violent threats directed at her. The Kolkata Police and the offices of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and Governor C.V. Ananda Bose have yet to comment publicly on the matter.
Meanwhile, Sharmishta’s case has reignited debates about freedom of speech, online harassment, and the challenges of navigating sensitive religious and geopolitical issues in the digital age.
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