'Ganda Dharm' remark: Mamata Banerjee faces case for hurting Hindu sentiments

A lawyer in West Bengal's Siliguri has lodged a police complaint against Trinamool Congress supremo and erstwhile chief minister Mamata Banerjee, alleging that she hurt the religious sentiments of Hindus by making derogatory remarks against Hinduism while attending an Eid celebration in Kolkata last year.

The police have yet to confirm whether an FIR will be registered on the basis of the complaint. The complainant, Rinki Chatterjee, has referenced the then-West Bengal CM's speech at an Eid event that was organised on Kolkata's iconic Red Road in 2025.

While targeting the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) from the stage, Mamata had purportedly said, "I do not subscribe to that filthy religion — a religion that this 'Jumla Party' has deliberately fabricated." She characterised the version of Hinduism espoused by the BJP as "Ganda Dharm," or "filthy religion."

Chatterjee has alleged that Mamata’s comment labelled Sanatan Dharma as "filthy" and offended Hindus across India and the rest of the world. The lawyer has further said in her complaint that the remark, made from the stage of a Muslim religious congregation, was "absolutely unacceptable."

With a change of government in the state, Chatterjee has now formally filed a complaint against the former CM at the Cyber Police Station in Siliguri. She said she is hopeful that appropriate legal action will be taken.

The reported statement by Mamata had triggered sharp reactions last year from the state BJP leadership, including from now-CM Suvendu Adhikari and other prominent figures, who had voiced strong objections. Chatterjee’s complaint marks the first direct legal step in connection with the issue.

In her complaint, she has also claimed that multiple senior leaders of the TMC, including ministers in the earlier government, have targeted Hinduism in recent years. She described the alleged "Ganda Dharm" remark by Mamata as the most serious of the instances.

Asked about his reaction to the police complaint, Atri Sharma, who is a lawyer and the general secretary of the TMC's Darjeeling unit, refrained from making any comment in his capacity as his party's spokesperson.

He, however, said that many within the TMC were opposed to the concerned remarks even when it was in power.

"It was indeed inappropriate for her to make such remarks while holding the reins of power at that time. Even those of us who have remained loyal to the party since that period did not endorse those particular comments. Everyone possesses the moral right to lodge a complaint," Sharma stated.

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(With inputs from Partha Pratim Das)