For describing Kali Mata as a “meat-eating and alcohol-accepting Goddess” Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Mahua Moitra, who has a foot in the mouth disease that embarrasses her party and boss Mamata Banerjee, has now been booked for hurting religious sentiments of Hindu devotees. Her insulting remarks on Goddess Kali stirred a hornet’s nest. This time round, Mahua, who keeps courting controversy, has gone overboard with her remark that Goddess Kali can be imagined in different ways.
An FIR was registered in Bhopal against Moitra, who represents Krishnanagar constituency in Nadia district, under section 295A of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) for hurting religious sentiments. BJP’s Mahila Morcha submitted more than 50 complaints against Moitra to the Bengal Police. A section of Mahila Morcha leaders marched to Kolkata’s Bowbazar Police Station, asking for ‘action’ to be taken against Moitra within 72 hours”. In fact, an FIR has been filed against the TMC MP in her constituency in Bengal.
While speaking during a recent “India Today Conclave East 2022”, the TMC MP triggered a massive controversy when she said that for her, Kali is a “meat-eating, alcohol accepting Goddess” and that every person has the right to worship Gods and Goddesses in their own way.
Not one to accept an insult without retaliation, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said that Hindu religious sentiments have been hurt by Moitra’s statement and that insult to Hindu deities will not be tolerated at any cost.
Reacting to the complaints against her by the Bharatiya Janata Party leaders, the TMC MP took a vitriolic outburst by stating: “Bring it on BJP! Am a Kali worshipper. I am not afraid of anything. Not your ignoramuses. Not your goons. Not your police. And most certainly not your trolls. Truth doesn’t need back up forces.”
Soon after Moitra made remarks on Kali, the TMC distanced itself saying the comments were made in her personal capacity. In a tweet, the party said the comments made by Mahua Moitra and her views expressed on Goddess Kali have been made in her personal capacity.
The comments are “not endorsed by the party in any manner or form. All India Trinamool Congress strongly condemns such comments,” the party tweeted.
Meanwhile, TMC is toying with the idea of issuing a show cause notice to Moitra after denouncing her comments on Goddess Kali, which has led to a major controversy. In fact, a belligerent Mamata, notorious for batting for Muslims, is in no mood to spare this temperamental MP, who believes that she can say anything and get away with it.
Moitra’s remarks came after a controversy erupted over a poster of filmmaker Leena Manimekalai’s documentary ‘Kaali’, insulting the Hindu goddess.
Meanwhile, Congress MP and seasoned lawyer Abhishek Singhvi said that people must be careful when they play with the emotions of people which are reflected in such symbols, culture and faith.
“We won’t like to comment on other parties, but I believe that balance must be maintained in symbols and essence of our faith. Heart and spirit of our culture cannot be trivialised by anybody anywhere be it elsewhere, abroad or here,” he said.
West Bengal’s Bharatiya Janata Party unit sought arrest of the Trinamool MP for allegedly hurting sentiments of the Hindu community.
Seeking unconditional apology from Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee, Opposition leader Suvendu Adhikari on Wednesday demanded the arrest of Trinamool Congress MP saying her remarks on Goddess Kali had hurt religious sentiments of the people and that action should be taken against her.
Pointing out that Moitra made derogatory statements while trying to justify the portrayal of the Goddess smoking a cigarette in Kaali, the BJP leader from Bengal said, “This is the last time we will tolerate people using derogatory terms against Hindu deities in Bengal. Next time, we will not give anyone a chance to speak against our Gods and Goddesses. We will not stop protesting until she holds her ears and apologises.”
The immense popularity of Goddess Kali can be gauged from the fact that numerous temples of the Goddess dot across the geographical territory of Bengal. In Delhi also as well as in Tripura and Assam, there are temples where Kali is worshipped. Devotees of Goddess Kali are offended by both the objectionable poster of the Toronto-based filmmaker as well as the outburst of an MP, whose party is known for indulging in minority appeasement.
