KOLKATA: An FIR was lodged against actors Parambrata Chatterjee and Swastika Mukherjee at Gariahat Police Station on Thursday night for allegedly inciting post-election violence in 2021. The charges were filed under Sections 109 and 153A of the IPC, with Section 153A being a non-bailable offence. Section 153A criminalises the promotion of enmity and hatred.Since the case relates to 2021, the FIR has been registered under IPC provisions instead of BNS. Investigators told TOI that notices would be sent to both actors asking them to join the probe, although both have the option of approaching the court for legal relief.According to the complaint, Parambrata posted on X (formerly Twitter): “Let today be declared World Thrashing Day.” Swastika Mukherjee reportedly replied to his post, writing: “Hahaha, let it be.” The complaint also mentioned that statements like these could have ignited aggression, leading to political violence and the killing of BJP worker Abhijit Sarkar in Beliaghata on the same day.Reacting to the FIR on Friday, Parambrata’s wife, Piya Chakraborty, told TOI : “It’s a ridiculous claim.” On Friday, minister Agnimitra Paul said, “When there was post-poll violence in 2021, these artists used the word ‘Rograni Dibas’. These words can be expected of Jahangir Khan or Sheikh Shahjahan, but not from Parambrata Chatterjee and Swastika Mukherjee, if they have said it. Right now, they are trying to support the BJP. I think this is a little opportunistic… . Public doesn’t respect turncoats.”Reacting to Paul’s comment, Chakraborty said: “The term ‘rograni’ was originally used by Dilip Ghosh to threaten and intimidate dissenting artists. His exact words were: ‘ Aar shilipira janen ami kibhabe rograi (If they don’t leave politics aside, I will take care of them. And, artistes know how I do it)’. Param’s FB post was a dig at this comment. Why is that not coming up in any media coverage? I think to even consider that the post implied anything harmful is preposterous.”On allegations over the actor changing colours, she said, “People should stop assuming that he is aligning with BJP just because he has been critical of the Swarup Biswas-led technicians’ federation. People need to remember that he was fighting a case with them for which he was banned from work.”BJP state general secretary Locket Chatterjee said, “Many artistes used to consider the BJP as untouchable. Suddenly they are trying to latch on to BJP MLAs. They are trying to play the victim card now. We would request them to retain self-respect.”Chakraborty also reacted to trolls who criticised her actor-director husband for bringing his newborn son, Noddy’s reference as the reason for the “compromise” he made. “It is nothing but the truth because during the time when Noddy was born, (except for the two months where he was on paternity leave) he was banned from working. Any new parent would be concerned and petrified at the thought of losing work while starting a family. Hence the apology he had to issue was difficult but, in his mind, necessary,” she said.
