The Lok Sabha elections 2019 gets murkier every day, with some or the other gimmick into play and then the reactions to that gimmick. On May 10, Priyanka Sharma, a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Yuva Morcha leader, was arrested in Howrah, West Bengal, for allegedly sharing a morphed picture of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on social media.
"Priyanka Sharma has been arrested for sharing a morphed picture of the CM," a police official said, as reported by The Times of India. This morphed image was in the form of a meme that showed Mamata Banerjee as Priyanka Chopra at MET Gala 2019.
Priyanka Chopra's look at the MET Gala 2019 was both loved and criticised by fans, with her dishevelled hair not going down well with fashion watchers. The MET Gala 2019 theme was Camp: Notes on Fashion and Priyanka Chopra stuck to the theme of going outrageous. But Indians are mostly making fun of her look through memes and tweets.
Earlier, Sri Lankan cricketer Lasith Malinga was compared to Priyanka Chopra for having similar hair. And now, Mamata Banerjee has been mocked at by morphing her face onto Priyanka Chopra's image. The West Bengal CM is known for not taking too kindly to this kind of criticism.
A complaint was lodged at the Dasnagar Police station against Priyanka Sharma, accusing her of uploading and sharing Mamata Banerjee's morphed picture on her Facebook and thereby violating community guidelines, an official of Howrah City police's Cyber Cell told TOI.
A hashtag campaign called #ISupportPriyankaSharma was started on Twitter, and in no time, supporters emerged. Twitter users mocked Mamata Banerjee and hailed Priyanka Sharma for creating the meme. The supporters may also be supporters of the BJP, and some who do not know that the woman belongs to the political party. Take a look at their tweets.
Use this photo as your profile photo if believe in free speech, right to criticize. This is democracy Mamata DiDi Bangal aapke bap ka nahi.#ISupportPriyankaSharma pic.twitter.com/T6EChUU5Db
— मैकेनिकल इंजीनियर (@mechanical_babu) 11 May 2019
Priyanka Sharma got arrested just because she posted a #Meme So.... Where are the so called liberals now who always supported freedom of expression? Where are the so called feminist? They just be seculars, liberals and feminists at their own convenience.#ISupportPriyankaSharma pic.twitter.com/yqDTL3aWpA — Dheeraj kushwah (@DJkushwah) 11 May 2019
#ISupportPriyankaSharma. Arrest for circulating this meme of a public figure? @MamataOfficial is a fascist! pic.twitter.com/gbTDW2yT0o
— Shefali Vaidya ஷெஃபாலி வைத்யா शेफाली वैद्य (@ShefVaidya) 11 May 2019
#ISupportPriyankaSharma what a bitch is she attesting an innocent woman for making a small troll. Rip- freedom of expression pic.twitter.com/NL5fMcCWxr — Dhwarakesh (@Dhwarakesh3) 11 May 2019
Where is the freedom of expression gang? #ISupportPriyankaSharma @BJP4India @SophiaW47285349 pic.twitter.com/JTKob8qCLM pic.twitter.com/Tfw6vsCNqc
— Abhishek Mishra (@ab_srm) 11 May 2019
I am appalled by the lack of media attention to this blatant dictatorship by @MamataOfficial. Her police arrested a BJYM worker Priyanka Sharma for this silly photoshop. You too are welcome to use this #NewProfilePic with tag #ISupportPriyankaSharma . Plz Rt pic.twitter.com/I3XGNXnw7R — Chowkidar Shivam Madnesh (@Shivammadnesh) 11 May 2019