'I publicly apologised, didn't intend to hurt sentiments': Saayoni Ghosh on row over old objectionable post
Kolkata, May 20 : As the controversy over a 2015 social media post shared by her that depicted a condom being placed on a Shivling, Trinamool Congress MP and actor Saayoni Ghosh said on Wednesday that she had publicly apologised for the post in 2021 and claimed her X account had been hacked at that time.
Referring to the controversy surrounding an old social media post, Ghosh told IANS that she had already publicly apologised in 2021 after the matter resurfaced and insisted that the controversial post was neither created nor uploaded by her.
"It was not done by me, and I have always maintained that. I publicly apologised back in 2021. No one wants to hurt anyone's religious sentiments. I am myself a Hindu. It was a 2015 social media post, I was 22-years-old then, and social media platform X was new for me," she added.
Ghosh said that she neither created the cartoon in question nor intended to offend anyone.
"I did not post it, and I did not even create the cartoon. So, if anyone needs to be investigated, it should be the person who made the cartoon. When this issue was brought to my attention in 2021, seven years later, I immediately ensured that the social media post was removed. I also apologised publicly," she said.
After the controversial image sparked massive outrage and police complaints, Ghosh released a statement that she had not posted it herself, retrieved control of her account in 2017, and immediately deleted the offensive content once it was brought to her attention.
The controversy has continued to follow the actor-turned-politician, leading to intense public and political scrutiny.
She also alleged that the controversy was being used as a political tool to intimidate and silence her because of her role in the Opposition.
The Trinamool MP claimed that Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders and workers had openly issued death threats against her, claiming that she was being targeted for being a vocal Opposition leader and "a voice of dissent".
On the issue of allegedly receiving death threats from a BJP leader, Ghosh claimed that her outspoken political stand and criticism of the BJP government at the Centre had made her a target.
"Probably because I think that I have always been a voice of dissent, both inside and outside Parliament. And from my limited political experience, I feel that the BJP does not like the voice of dissent. It does not like the idea of Opposition in a country," she said.
Ghosh also alleged that violent remarks had been made against her publicly.
"People are openly saying that whoever beheads Saayoni Ghosh will be rewarded with one crore rupees. BJP workers and their leaders are saying this publicly. And on the other hand, the BJP talks about the Women's Reservation Act and women’s empowerment. Do these two things go together? No, they do not," she alleged.
The Trinamool MP also alleged that women who raise their voices are particularly targeted.
"And they (BJP) do not like the idea of women raising their voice, which has always been the culture in Bengal," she added.
"If I have hurt anyone’s religious sentiments, then I should be held accountable. But all this is happening because you have no real issue against me. I am in the Opposition, and the aim is to suppress and intimidate me so that important issues are not discussed and questions cannot be raised inside the House. This is not how democracy works," Ghosh said.