Trinamool Congress leader Mahua Moitra faces charges for her comments on Goddess Kali at a media event. A BJP leader, Jiten Chatterjee, has filed an FIR accusing her of hurting religious feelings.
“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,” Mahua Moitra tweeted.
Mahua Moitra had earlier said her comments had been twisted by trolls as her support for a hugely controversial film poster shared by filmmaker Leena Manimekalai featuring the Goddess smoking.
The MP had said at an India Today conclave in Kolkata that she had every right as an individual to imagine Goddess Kali as a “meat-eating and alcohol-accepting goddess” as every person has the right to worship God in their own way.
“If you go to Bhutan or Sikkim, for example, when they do puja, they give whisky to their god. Now, if you go to Uttar Pradesh and say that you give whisky to your god as prasad, they will say that is blasphemous,” she said, making her point.
“For me, Goddess Kali is a meat-eating and alcohol-accepting goddess. And if you go to Tarapith (a major Shakti peeth in West Bengal’s Birbhum district), you will see sadhus smoking. That is the version of Kali people worship (there). I, within Hinduism, being a Kali worshipper, have the right to imagine Kali in that way; that is my freedom,” said Ms Moitra.
“I have the freedom to do it (envision a meat-eating goddess) as much as you have the freedom to worship your god as vegetarian and white-clothed.” The BJP seized the viral comment and questioned whether insulting Hindu Gods was the official stand of West Bengal’s ruling party.
“Trinamool supremo and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee should clarify. This is not the first time such instances have been reported. Earlier too Trinamool leaders have done the same. We think this is the official stand of the ruling TMC to hurt the sentiment of Hindus to get votes,” BJP leader Rathindra Bose said.
Ms Moitra’s party Trinamool Congress condemned the remarks and disowned them.
“The comments made by @MahuaMoitra at the #IndiaTodayConclaveEast2022 and her views expressed on Goddess Kali have been made in her personal capacity and are NOT ENDORSED BY THE PARTY in ANY MANNER OR FORM. All India Trinamool Congress strongly condemns such comments,” the party tweeted.
Yesterday, Ms Moitra clarified that she has “never backed any film or poster or mentioned the word smoking”.
“To all you Sanghis- lying will NOT make you better Hindus. I NEVER backed any film or poster or mentioned the word smoking. Suggest you visit my Maa Kali in Tarapith to see what food and drink are offered as bhog. Joy Ma Tara,” she tweeted.