Hindu devotees outraged as Punjabi film actor's wife makes denigrating remarks against revered Hindu sage Maharishi Valmiki
Amritsar, Punjab, India 
2 June, 2026
Case Summary
Hindu devotees of Bhagwan Valmiki were subjected to deliberate religious denigration when Tilotama Sharma, wife of Punjabi film actor BN Sharma, made objectionable comments against Bhagwan Valmiki [the revered Hindu sage and author of the Valmiki Ramayana, venerated as a deity by the Valmiki community] during a blog on a channel. The incident generated significant controversy and communal outrage across the Valmiki community in Punjab. As per details, Tilotama Sharma made the objectionable comments while making a blog on a channel. The comments targeted Bhagwan Valmiki, one of the most revered figures in Hindu sacred tradition, whose veneration by the Valmiki community constitutes a central dimension of their Hindu devotional identity. The Valmiki Tirth Action Committee and Bhagwan Valmiki Vani Prachar Mahasabha Punjab filed a complaint with the Police Commissioner demanding strict action. Following the controversy, BN Sharma arrived at Pavan Valmiki Tirth in Amritsar on 3 June 2026 accompanied by his wife Tilotama Sharma, son Nageshwar, Narmada Shankar, and producer Ricky Teji. He bowed before Bhagwan Valmiki, accepted his mistake, and publicly apologised in the presence of Valmiki community representatives Sant Ravindra Giri, Kumar Darshan, and Acharya Sunil Chopra. The community representatives subsequently withdrew their complaint.
Why it is Hate Crime ?
The primary category for this case is "Hate speech against Hindus". The sub-category for this case is "Mocking/denigrating Hindu leaders". Hate speech is defined as any speech, gesture, conduct, writing, or display that is prejudicial against a specific individual and/or group of people, which is leading to or may lead to violence, prejudicial action or hate against that individual and/or group. Religious leaders are often seen as representatives of the community, especially, the community’s religious faith and beliefs. Mocking or denigrating a religious leader specifically owing to his religious identity and/or the religious rituals he observes can be considered hate speech because the motivating factor of the speech is animosity and/or dislike for what he represents – the religious beliefs and faith of the community. It is important to note that mere insulting words against an individual do not constitute hate speech. It is entirely possible that insulting words are used for an individual, however, the specific speech is not the result of religious hate and/or animosity towards the professed faith of the religious leader, but the individual himself. For the speech to be considered hate speech, the speech itself or the motivating factor behind the speech has to be religious in nature. Such speech which denigrates Hindu religious leaders specifically owing to animosity towards the faith they profess and the community faith they represent will be treated as hate speech under this category. Another sub-category is "Anti-Hindu slurs, mocking faith". Anti-Hindu slurs and the deliberate mocking of the Hindu faith owing to religious animosity involve the usage of derogatory terms, stereotypes, or offensive references to religious practices, symbols, or figures. One of the common anti-Hindu slurs used against Hindus is “cow-worshipper” and “cow piss drinker”. The intention of using this term is to demean and mock Hindus as a group and their religious beliefs since Hindus consider the cow holy. Additionally, some symbols and the slurs attached to them have a historical context that exacerbates the insult, hate, stereotyping, dehumanisation and oppression against Hindus. Cow worship has been used for centuries to denigrate Hindus, insult their faith and oppress Hindus specifically as a religious group. There has been overwhelming documentation about how cow slaughter has been used to persecute Hindus with cow meat being thrown in temples and places of worship. There has also been overwhelming documentation where cow meat (beef) has been force-fed to Hindus to either forcefully convert them to Islam or denigrate their faith. Apart from cow worship, the Swastika – which holds deep religious significance for the Hindus – has also been misinterpreted and distorted to use as a slur against Hindus. Similarly, the worship of the Shivling has been used by supremacist ideologies and religions to denigrate Hindus owing to religious animosity. Such slurs and denigration stem out of inherent animosity and hate towards Hindus and their faith, therefore, it is categorised as hate speech targeted at Hindus specifically owing to their religious identity. This case has been included in the tracker because it involved the denigration of a revered Hindu religious figure whose veneration forms a central part of the religious identity of millions of Hindus, particularly members of the Valmiki community. The objectionable comments were directed against Bhagwan Valmiki, the revered sage credited with composing the Valmiki Ramayana and a figure who occupies a sacred place in Hindu tradition. For the Valmiki community, Bhagwan Valmiki is not merely a historical personality or literary figure but a deeply revered spiritual and religious figure whose teachings, legacy, and divinity form an integral part of their Hindu faith. The religious nature of the incident stems from the fact that the remarks were directed at an object of Hindu reverence. In Hinduism, deities, saints, sages, gurus, and other sacred figures are not merely symbolic representations but embody spiritual ideals and religious values that are deeply cherished by devotees. Insulting, mocking, or making derogatory remarks about such figures amounts to an attack on the faith and religious identity of those who worship and revere them. By targeting Bhagwan Valmiki, the comments directly targeted a figure held sacred by the Hindu community and therefore struck at the religious sentiments of his devotees. The impact of such remarks is particularly significant because Bhagwan Valmiki occupies a unique position within Hindu civilisation. As the author of the Ramayana, one of Hinduism's most sacred scriptures, he is revered across Hindu traditions. For members of the Valmiki community, this reverence assumes an even deeper devotional significance. Consequently, derogatory comments directed at Bhagwan Valmiki do not remain confined to criticism of an individual figure but extend to the beliefs, traditions, and religious identity of the community that venerates him. By making the disparaging remarks, the Punjabi film actor's wife revealed her disdain for Hinduism. Her words were not just casual insults but indicate a deeper hostility, fueled by a desire to demean and belittle Hindu beliefs and customs. As such, this incident is being categorised as a religiously motivated hate crime against Hindus. Disclaimer: The exact date on which the objectionable comments against Bhagwan Valmiki were made was not confirmed in the source. The tracker records incident dates based on when the crime occurred rather than when it was reported or published. In this case, therefore, 3 June 2026 has been used as the indicative incident date, reflecting the confirmed date of the public apology at Pavan Valmiki Tirth, since this is the earliest confirmed reference point available in the source. This date has been recorded for documentation purposes only.
Case Status
Complaint not filed
Perpetrators Details
Perpetrators
Sikh Extremists
Perpetrators Range
One Person
Perpetrators Gender
female
Sources 
