Trinamool Congress leader Mahua Moitra sparked a row on Tuesday by saying that she has every right as an individual to imagine Goddess Kaali as "meat-eating and alcohol-accepting" goddess. She said every person has the right to worship god and goddess in his or her own way.
Speaking at India Today Conclave East held in Kolkata, Moitra said, "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
"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 was quoted by PTI as saying.
Following this, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) sought the arrest of Mahua Moitra for allegedly hurting the religious sentiments of Hindus with her remarks on 'Goddess Kaali' poster. An FIR was also registered against Moitra in Bhopal under section 295A of IPC for hurting religious sentiments.
After the outrage, Moitra challenged the BJP, saying, "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."
What the controversy aboutBring 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 (@MahuaMoitra) July 6, 2022
A documentary film's poster has sparked outrage with its depiction of the Goddess Kaali. Directed by Indian filmmaker Leena Manimekalai, the documentary debuted as part of Rhythms of Canada at the Aga Khan Museum.
The poster depicts a woman dressed as a Hindu Goddess. She is seen smoking a cigarette. The LGBT community's pride flag can also be seen in the background.
Manimekalai had tweeted a poster of her documentary.
Super thrilled to share the launch of my recent film - today at @AgaKhanMuseum as part of its “Rhythms of Canada”Link: https://t.co/RAQimMt7Ln
I made this performance doc as a cohort of https://t.co/D5ywx1Y7Wu@YorkuAMPD @TorontoMet @YorkUFGSFeeling pumped with my CREW❤️ pic.twitter.com/L8LDDnctC9— Leena Manimekalai (@LeenaManimekali) July 2, 2022
Hashtag 'Arrest Leena Manimekalai' was trending on Twitter for hurting religious sentiments.
"Despicable..! Don't let them get away with mocking Hindu Gods. If insulting Hindus Gods come under freedom of expression then why not insult Mohammed? What bigotry. Hindus get beheaded for quoting directly from Quran. Fight like hell Hindus..! ENOUGH," a tweet read.
Despicable..! Don't let them get away with mocking Hindu Gods. If insulting Hindus Gods come under freedom of expression then why not insulting Mohammed? What bigotry. Hindus get beheaded for quoting directly from Quran. Fight like hell Hindus..! ENOUGH #ArrestLeenaManimekalai pic.twitter.com/rs95a6G0o3
— Renee Lynn (@Voice_For_India) July 3, 2022
Indian filmmaker Ashoke Pandit asked if the Supreme Court will take up this case and put her behind bars.
Will the Supreme Court which blamed #NupurSharma for the killing of #kanahiyalal now take up this case of a filmmaker who has abused #HinduGoddess (Maa Kaali) and put her behind bars.Will the begums of #UrbanNaxal gang & #Lutyensmedia condemn this. #ArrestLeenaManimekalai . pic.twitter.com/yo7r2otD8y
— Ashoke Pandit (@ashokepandit) July 4, 2022
"Why only condemn this lady. We'll need to condemn the ones mentioned down there who helped her in unison," another tweet read.
Why only condemn this lady. We'll need to condemn the ones mentioned down there who helped her in unison.
If you observe bottom right corner closely, even a Canadian Public University in involved in this miscreation. #ArrestLeenaManimekalai pic.twitter.com/ILEo54ug9y— Raunak Pandya🇮🇳 (@PandyaRaunak) July 4, 2022
First Published: Jul 4, 2022 4:37 PM IST
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