On July 5, while speaking at India Today Conclave East 2022, Mahua Moitra made controversial remarks about the Hindu deity Maa Kaali while speaking in support of the Canadian Canada-based filmmaker Leena Manimekali who has come under fire for using a poster with a cigarette-smoking image of Maa Kaali to promote her upcoming film. As social media users blasted the TMC MP for her anti-Hindu remark, the party quickly distanced itself and denounced Moitra’s comments on Maa Kaali.
The condemnation was, however, too short-lived. Today (July 7, Thursday), the TMC chief Mamata Banerjee was seen defending her MP. “We make mistakes while working but they can be rectified,” said Mamata Banerjee while addressing a students’ credit cards distribution event in Kolkata where she tried to vindicate Moitra, facing flak for her disparaging remark against the Hindu deity.
Purportedly hinting at BJP, the West Bengal CM and TMC supremo added, “Some people don’t see all the good work and suddenly start shouting… Negativity affects our brain cells so let’s think positively.”
Interesting enough, hours before the party chief made her statement defending her MP, Mahua Moitra had referred to herself as a “staunch soldier of Mamata Banerjee”. When asked about how she felt about the party’s decision to distance itself from her due to her contentious remark about Goddess Kali, the TMC MP stated to NDTV, “It’s between my party and me… I’m a staunch soldier of the party and Mamata Banerjee.”
#LeftRightCentre | “It’s between my party and me… I’m a staunch soldier of the party and Mamata Banerjee”: TMC MP @MahuaMoitra on the row over her Goddess ‘Kali’ remark#NDTVExclusive pic.twitter.com/AjjyVSc6az
— NDTV (@ndtv) July 6, 2022
TMC condemns comments on Goddess Kaali by its own MP Mahua Moitra
Prior to this, TMC had condemned the remarks made by party Lok Sabha MP Mahua Moitra on Goddess Kaali during the India Today Conclave East 2022. Distancing itself from Mahua’s controversial comments, the party said that the comments were made by Mahua Moitra in her personal capacity and were not endorsed by TMC.
Taking to Twitter to clarify their stand on Mahua Moitra’s comments, the party’s official handle wrote, “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.”
TMC MP’s remark on Maa Kali
On July 5, while responding to a question at the media event, Mahua Moitra said, “You have the freedom to imagine your goddess. To me, Kaali is a meat-eating, alcohol-accepting goddess. There are some places where whiskey is offered to gods and in some other places it would be blasphemy.”
Mahua Moitra was speaking in support of the Canadian Canada-based filmmaker Leena Manimekali who has come under fire for using a poster with a cigarette-smoking image of Maa Kaali to promote her upcoming film.
After receiving widespread criticism on social media, Mahua Moitra Tweeted, “To all you sanghis- lying will NOT make you better hindus. I NEVER backed any film or poster or mentioned the word smoking.” She also asked people to visit Maa Kali in Tarapith to see what food & drink is offered as bhog at that temple.
