As the BJP surges past the Trinamool Congress in the 2026 West Bengal election count, social media turns toxic, with AI-generated and doctored memes targeting women leaders like Sayani Ghosh and Mahua Moitra. Vulgar, sexually explicit posts and comments expose deep-rooted misogyny, raising urgent questions about online accountability and the dignity afforded to women in public life.
As vote counting continues in the West Bengal Assembly elections, the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) is trailing significantly behind the BJP, with the gap crossing 100 seats. Nearly 10 hours into counting, the BJP remains far ahead, making it increasingly unlikely for the TMC to bridge the difference.
Amid these developments, social media has been flooded with memes featuring figures like Mamata Banerjee, Narendra Modi, and other political personalities. While some memes are humorous and light-hearted, others have crossed the line into controversial and offensive territory.
In one such viral meme, Sayani Ghosh, a TMC MP, is depicted wearing a condom on her head. The image appears to be AI-generated and has been widely circulated across platforms with different captions. One such post reads, “Today, they have no other way but to hide their face in a condom!”
The post has attracted a large number of vulgar and derogatory comments. One user wrote, “TMC = ‘Tomar Mathay Condom,’” while another commented, “A to acha hai, B to bohot hi acha hai, C to Condom hai…” Others added remarks like “creativity personified.” One particularly harsh comment read, “I am sorry… we always respect women… but in her case she deserves every insult.”
Sayani Ghosh had earlier faced backlash over an old social media post from 2015, which resurfaced during the elections. In that post, she had shared an image depicting a condom placed over a Shivling—a sacred symbol in Hinduism—with the caption, “God wouldn’t have been more useful.” The resurfacing of this post has been cited by some users as justification for the current wave of online abuse.
However, the situation raises serious concerns about the nature of online discourse. While social media is an open platform, the targeting of female political leaders with sexually explicit and degrading content highlights a deeper issue of misogyny and lack of accountability.
Sayani Ghosh is not the only target. In another meme referencing a scene from Family Guy, faces were edited to resemble Mahua Moitra and political strategist Prashant Kishor, with captions alluding to a past controversy involving alleged chats that had gone viral. Moitra had earlier taken legal action in response to such incidents.
The trend extended further, with journalist Anjana Om Kashyap also becoming a target of objectification over her attire. Several social media users posted inappropriate and derogatory comments about her appearance, reflecting a broader pattern of sexist behaviour online.
While the outcome of the election remains a political matter, the use of female politicians and public figures to create vulgar and demeaning content raises serious concerns about online safety and respect. Women in West Bengal form a crucial and highly active segment of the electorate, often recording high voter turnout. Yet, incidents like these highlight the gap between political participation and the level of respect and dignity afforded to women in public life.
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