SC order for apology sends wrong message: Mahajan

Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM) chief Poonam Mahajan on Tuesday welcomed the Supreme Court decision to release Priyanka Sharma, arrested for a meme on West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, but added the apex court's direction to tender an apology sent out a wrong message.

"I am grateful to the Supreme Court for her (Sharma's) immediate release, but the direction to tender an apology sends out a wrong message on the question of free speech," Mahajan said soon after Priyanka Sharma was granted bail.

Mahajan also hit out at the West Bengal Chief Minister and described her as "Hitler Didi". "How are political leaders, like Mamata Didi whom we openly call 'Hitler Didi', using their power for political gains and to massage their own egos," she said.

There was anarchy in West Bengal and anyone who questioned the state government was put behind bars, she added. "The people of state will give a befitting reply on May 23 when the Lok Sabha election results come out," she said.

Priyanka Sharma was accused of sharing on social media a photo of the Trinamool Congress supremo photo-shopped on a picture of Bollywood actor Priyanka Chopra from last week's MET Gala event in New York City. She was arrested on May 10 and remanded to 14-day judicial custody.

--IANS

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