BJP activist from West Bengal Priyanka Sharma got bail after arrest over meme on Mamata Banerjee
BJP activist Priyanka Sharma, who walked free this morning after spending five days in jail for posting a meme on West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee last week, said the question of offering an apology doesn't arise as she has done "no wrong".
The Supreme Court yesterday ordered her release, but she had to spend another night in jail as she was freed over 18 hours later - at 9:40 am today.
"I was tortured in jail. The jailor pushed me. They were very rude inside the jail and the general condition was also quite bad. They didn't let me speak to anyone despite getting bail, didn't let me speak to anyone for five days," Ms Sharma, accompanied by her brother, told reporters today. "Water was a big problem inside the jail. There was no water in the women's toilet. We talk about swachh Bharat (clean India) but there was no swachh inside the jail."
She said she is preparing to fight a court battle in July, when the Supreme Court will hear whether she should agree with the West Bengal government's demand that she apologise for sharing the meme.
"I have not done anything for which I should offer apology. Why target only me? What about many other people who have shared the post, arrest them also? The police took my phone... They told me to say I will never post anything like this again," Ms Sharma said.
He brother said she was made to sign a personal bond, which was not a requirement in the Supreme Court order that granted her bail. "Fundamental rights are in danger. Yesterday what happened at Amit Shah's rally (in Kolkata where violence broke out) shows how much terror Mamata Banerjee is trying to deploy. We will fight her (Priyanka Sharma's) case in July," he said.
Ms Sharma was picked up by the police from her home last Friday and was sent to two weeks' judicial custody. The charges cited on the complaint by a Trinamool Congress leader include "defamation and offensive messages".
The BJP youth wing activist's mother had claimed her daughter's arrest was politically motivated. The arrest had provoked anger and strong protests, not just by the BJP but also by other social media users.