West Bengal IPS Officer Bushra Bano Transferred After Inspirational Video Sparked Complaints from Hindu Group for Using ‘Inshallah’ and ‘Assalamu Alaikum’

Key Points:

A VIDEO that was made as an inspiration for aspirants has turned into a controversy after IPS officer Bushra Bano used some Islamic greetings and phrases in the video. She was explaining her journey of becoming a female IPS officer and sharing tips that civil service aspirants can follow. In the video, She used the words Assalam Alaikum (peace be upon you) to greet people, Inshallah (God willing) in the middle, and ended the video by saying Jazakallah (May God reward you with goodness).

While Bushra used these greetings as a Muslim woman, many Hindu right-wing groups objected to them. Later, the incident became a bigger issue when a complaint was filed by the Hindu Legal Fund, which identifies itself as a unit of the Hindu Network Foundation. They submitted their complaint to the Home Secretary of the BJP-led West Bengal government, Sanghamitra Ghosh. The group questioned why Bano was using Islamic phrases in public communication while she was in uniform.

Later, on September 14, 2026, Bano was transferred from her post as the Additional Superintendent of Police in Kharagpur to the Deputy Commandant of the 4th Battalion of the State Armed Police by the Bengal government. This was done after just two and a half months in the position, with the reason for the transfer given as “public interest.” While it was not officially stated that the video led to the IPS officer’s transfer, the timing made people question whether the two events were connected.

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What Did IPS Officer Bushra Bano Say In Her Video? 

Bushra Bano is a 2021-batch IPS officer who is originally from Kannauj in Uttar Pradesh. She completed her PhD from Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) and later worked as an assistant professor in Saudi Arabia. After she returned to India, she started pursuing her civil services dream. In the video, she said, “Assalamu Alaikum! I am 2021-qualified IPS officer and currently deployed as Additional Superintendent of Police in Kharagpur. After returning from Saudi Arabia, I started preparing for the UPSC examination.”

She further said that she initially did self-study but later prepared with AMU’s Residential Coaching Academy (RCA), which helped her a lot. She said that the academy's books, library, and mock papers are good and hence she is sharing the information with others who are preparing for such examinations.

"I am sharing this with you all so that other people benefit from it," the IPS officer said in the video.

Bushra Bano also praised the government-run coaching centre for benefiting minority groups, women, and SC/ST students who are studying for civil service exams. She further encouraged more students to enrol at these centres.

Ending her video, she said, "I urge more students to enroll at such centres. I am sure that more students will benefit from these coaching centres and Inshallah [God Willing] will qualify competitive exams so that they can serve the country."

Netizens Reactions To Bushra Bano’s Transfer 

The Hindu nationalist organization that filed the complaint wrote in its post:

“Complaint filed with West Bengal Home Secretary regarding IPS Bushra Bano’s official video statement. She began with Assalamualaikum, used Inshallah, ended with Jazakallah — and did not use Vande Mataram or Jai Hind. A serving officer representing the Indian state should maintain neutrality and use national expressions in public communication. Seeking appropriate review and action.”

The main argument the group made was that a serving officer for the Government of India should maintain neutrality. They said that instead of using Islamic expressions, she should use national expressions such as "Vande Mataram" or "Jai Hind" in public communication. Many people on social media, including opposition leaders, condemned the complaint and the subsequent developments.

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Congress MP Imran Pratapgarhi asked the IPS Association to take note of the incident, saying, “Instead of standing by her, the state government transferred her the very next day. What kind of India are you building, Modi ji?"

TMC MLA Kunal Ghosh also criticised the state government, saying that while the government has the right to transfer officers, punishing someone for their personal beliefs is unconstitutional.

Ghosh said, as quoted by NDTV, "The government has the right to decide on transfers. But if someone has not uttered any unparliamentary or unconstitutional word, and has only spoken based on their own habits and personal beliefs, if any comment or word came out of their mouth based on that, they should not be punished for it."

A person wrote on social media, “So what's in that? Many officers including politicians say namaste. So what? Did u ever see ur cm saying jai hind everytime he speak to public? U guys are just hate mongers.”

Another wrote, “Although I am unfamiliar with the rules and regulations governing an IAS officer, her statements are neither anti-India nor offensive to anyone's sentiments. Expressions of faith and praise toward God should not be subject to misinterpretation.”

Some people also pointed out the case of UP police officer Anuj Chaudhary, saying that while Bushra was transferred, Chaudhary took part in a Rath Yatra while wearing a police uniform and was later promoted.

One wrote, “Her faith isn’t the controversy. The double standard is. Anuj Chaudhary can practise his faith, Bushra Bano says Assalamualaikum,suddenly it’s "political drama." Same Constitution. Explain the hypocrisy.”

Another wrote, “Anuj Chaudhary’s faith is “practice”; Bushra Bano’s is “political drama”? Same Constitution. Same freedom. Expose the double standard.”

(Edited by Harsh Pandey)

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