Muslim IPS officer’s transfer in West Bengal sparks criticism over double standards
Dr Bushra Bano transferred after Hindutva group’s complaint over Islamic greetings
Kolkata: The abrupt transfer of Indian Police Service (IPS) officer Dr Bushra Bano from her post in BJP-ruled West Bengal has drawn sharp criticism from political leaders and commentators. Bano was transferred from her position as Additional Superintendent of Police in Kharagpur after a Hindutva group objected to her use of common Islamic greetings in a motivational video.
According to Kashmir Media Service, Bano, a 2021-batch officer of the West Bengal cadre, was transferred to the post of Deputy Commandant of the 4th Battalion of the State Armed Police “in public interest” on September 14, 2026. The move followed a September 13 video in which she addressed UPSC aspirants and shared her journey, including support from Aligarh Muslim University’s Residential Coaching Academy. She began the video with “Assalamualaikum”, used “Inshallah” during her remarks and concluded with “Jazakallah.”
A group calling itself the Hindu Legal Fund complained to the West Bengal Home Secretary, arguing that a serving officer representing the Indian state should maintain neutrality and use “national expressions” such as “Vande Mataram” or “Jai Hind” instead of the Islamic phrases. The complaint, along with social media criticism from Hindutva-linked accounts and coverage framing it in communal terms, preceded the transfer order.
Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra criticized the development, highlighting double standards. “One BJP govt showing off secular credentials at BRICS summit by creating ‘prayer room’, another sidelines Muslim woman IPS officer Dr Bushara Bano simply for saying ‘Assalamalaikum’ & ‘JazakAllah’ — furthering hate spread by Godimedia TV,” she said, adding “We are with you Bushara.”
“……. transferring a Muslim IPS officer for saying Assalamalaikum & Inshallah is ridiculous. We are a nation gone mad, poisoned with hate & bigotry,” she added.
Congress MP Imran Pratapgarhi also condemned the action against Bano. He said a hate-mongering TV channel had first sensationalized the video, triggering online trolling of the officer, and that the state government transferred her the very next day instead of standing by her. “What kind of India are you building, @narendramodiji?” he asked.
Prominent journalist Siddharth Varadarajan pointed to unequal standards on religious expression by public officials. He noted that Home Minister Amit Shah “is allowed to shout a directly religious slogan like ‘Jai Shri Ram’ whenever he likes. But a Muslim IPS officer who says Assalam Alaikum—a greeting which is not even religious but means ‘peace be upon you’— has now been punitively transferred by the West Bengal government under pressure from fascist oriented social media handles.”
Former civil servant Ashish Joshi also expressed support for Bano online, praising her record of clearing the UPSC examination twice, leaving a comfortable job in Saudi Arabia, and entering public service in the country. He described her choice of words as a reflection of personal faith rather than a rejection of national values.
Critics have described the transfer as an indication of communal pressure over routine cultural or faith-based expressions widely used by Hindi and Urdu speakers.
