2021 post-poll violence tweet returns to haunt Bengal actors

A five-year-old social media exchange linked to West Bengal’s post-poll violence has landed prominent Bengali actors Parambrata Chatterjee and Swastika Mukherjee in legal trouble, with an FIR registered against them at Gariahat Police Station in Kolkata.

The FIR stems from a complaint filed by advocate Joydeep Sen, who accused the actors of abetting and instigating the large-scale violence that erupted across West Bengal following the 2021 Assembly election results.

According to the complaint, dated May 21, the case centres on a social media exchange on May 2, 2021 — the day the Assembly election results were declared.

The complaint cites a post by Parambrata Chatterjee, uploaded around 4 pm that day, which read in Bengali: “Let today be declared World ‘Rogorani’ thrashing Day!” Actor Swastika Mukherjee allegedly responded with “Hahahah Hok Hok” (“Let it happen”), accompanied by an emoji.

The complainant alleged that the remarks, made by influential public figures, appeared to “abet, encourage, incite and instigate large-scale violence” at a time when attacks on BJP workers were already being reported across the state.

“A complaint has already been filed against Parambrata Chatterjee and Swastika Mukherjee under Section 107 of the Indian Penal Code. Their remarks had instigated the murders of BJP workers, the rape and molestation of BJP women workers, and the violence allegedly carried out by the Trinamool Congress in 2021,” the complainant said.

The complaint also links the timing of the posts to subsequent incidents of violence, noting that about an hour later, BJP worker Abhijit Sarkar was allegedly murdered in Beliaghata, in a case where the accused have already been convicted.

It further alleges that organised violence against BJP workers spread across West Bengal from the evening of May 2, 2021, resulting in murders, assaults, sexual violence, arson and extortion — incidents later taken cognizance of by the Calcutta High Court.

The post-poll violence that followed the 2021 Assembly elections triggered a major political controversy and multiple investigations, amid allegations of attacks, intimidation and displacement across several districts after the results were announced.

The election, held in eight phases between March 27 and April 29, recorded an average voter turnout of 82%, according to the Election Commission of India. Violence intensified during polling and continued after the results on May 2.

April saw the highest number of election-related violent incidents, with 123 events and 19 deaths. In May, 88 violent incidents and 31 deaths were reported.

Much of the violence in May was allegedly retaliatory and targeted opposition supporters after All India Trinamool Congress secured a landslide victory, keeping the 2021 post-poll violence at the centre of Bengal’s political discourse for years.