Mamata Banerjee's TMC distances itself from Mahua Moitra's statement 'Kali is meat-eating, alcohol-accepting goddess'

While speaking about filmmaker Leena Manimekalai's poster of her documentary "Kaali", which has courted controversy for showing Goddess Kali smoking, Mahua Moitra said that it is up to individuals how they view their gods.

New Delhi: The Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress (TMC) on Tuesday (July 5, 2022) distanced itself from its MP Mahua Moitra's statement that for her, "Goddess Kali is a meat-eating and alcohol-accepting goddess". While speaking about filmmaker Leena Manimekalai's controversial poster of her documentary "Kaali", which has courted controversy for showing Goddess Kali smoking, Mahua Moitra said that it is up to individuals how they view their gods.

"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.

Moitra said that people have the right to imagine their gods or goddess in the way they want.

"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," she said.

Moitra said, "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."

'I NEVER backed any film or poster': Mahua Moitra amid Kaali poster row

After her comments went viral, she also issued a clarification attacking the Sangh Parivar.

"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 & drink is offered as bhog. Joy Ma Tara," she tweeted.

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 & drink is offered as bhog.
Joy Ma Tara

— Mahua Moitra (@MahuaMoitra) July 5, 2022

The TMC, however, distanced itself from Moitra's comments and condemned the remarks.

"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," Mamata Banerjee's party said in a Twitter post.

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.

— All India Trinamool Congress (@AITCofficial) July 5, 2022

Kaali poster row: FIR registered against filmmaker Leena Manimekalai

Meanwhile, the police in Uttar Pradesh and Delhi have registered a case against filmmaker Leena Manimekalai in connection with a controversial poster of her documentary "Kaali". In Delhi, Police received a complaint from a lawyer, alleging that a poster is circulating on social media in which goddess Kali is shown smoking a cigarette.

From the contents of the complaint and the social media post, prima facie, an offence under sections 153A (promoting enmity between different groups on ground of religion, race etc. and doing acts prejudicial to maintenance of harmony) and 295A (deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) was made out and a case registered against Manimekalai at the Intelligence Fusion and Strategic Operation (IFSO) unit of the Special Cell, a senior police officer said.

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 @YorkUFGS

Feeling pumped with my CREW pic.twitter.com/L8LDDnctC9

— Leena Manimekalai (@LeenaManimekali) July 2, 2022

While in Uttar Pradesh, police registered an FIR on charges of criminal conspiracy, offence in place of worship, deliberately hurting religious sentiments, and intention to provoke breach of peace against Manimekalai for her movie 'Kaali' for the disrespectful depiction of Hindu Gods.