Sreelekha Mitra holding PM Modi poster (Left) & BJP leader Keya Ghosh (Right)
Kolkata: The controversy surrounding the NEET question paper leak protests has taken a political turn in West Bengal after actress Sreelekha Mitra faced police complaints over a poster she was seen carrying during a demonstration in Kolkata. The poster allegedly featured an objectionable image of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, prompting BJP leaders to demand her immediate arrest.
BJP leader Keya Ghosh lodged an FIR against Sreelekha Mitra at Anandapur Police Station, while a separate complaint was filed at the Bidhannagar Cyber Crime Police Station. BJP leaders alleged that the poster contained an objectionable depiction of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and argued that displaying such imagery during a public protest was unacceptable.
Speaking after filing the complaint, BJP leader Keya Ghosh said, “Every artist has the right to protest, but no one has the right to display an objectionable image of the Prime Minister. We have filed an FIR and demanded her immediate arrest.”
Referring to the protest, Ghosh further alleged, “We witnessed attacks on journalists during the demonstration. Even women journalists were allegedly not spared and were molested. Such incidents are unacceptable. Displaying the Prime Minister in this manner is equally unacceptable, which is why we have lodged the FIR.”
The demonstration was organised to protest the alleged NEET question paper leak, an issue that had sparked protests in several parts of the country, including Delhi and Mumbai, before reaching Kolkata. Students, activists and members of the public gathered at Dharmatala, demanding accountability and action over the controversy.
Actress Sreelekha Mitra also participated in the protest in support of the students. Later, she shared photographs from the demonstration on social media. One of the images drew widespread attention after she was seen holding a poster that allegedly contained an objectionable image of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, prompting BJP leaders to file police complaints.
Responding to the controversy, Sreelekha Mitra released a video on social media, stating that she had no intention of displaying any objectionable image. She said she was holding the poster without examining it and was unaware that it contained the image in question until the photographs surfaced online.
Explaining the circumstances, she said the posters had been brought from Delhi and that the protest was attended by thousands of students. “There were thousands of boys and girls. The police were lathi-charging the protesters, and I was running along with them. I was wearing sunglasses and did not notice the image on the poster. During the police action, I never even looked at it,” she said.
Police have received the complaints filed against Sreelekha Mitra, and the matter is under scrutiny as the political controversy surrounding the protest and the poster continues.
