Amidst the controversy trigerred over 'Kaali' film poster, Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra on Tuesday spoke out in support of Canada-based filmmaker Leena Manimekali - who is at the centre of social media outrage and FIRs by police in Delhi and Uttar Pradesh as the poster shows the goddess smoking.
In the same poster, Kaali is also holding a rainbow flag - a globally recognised symbol of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer pride - in one of her hands.
"You have the freedom to imagine your goddess," Moitra said at a media event.
"To me, Kaali is a meat-eating, alcohol-accepting goddess," she said, adding, "There are some places where whiskey is offered to gods and in some other places it would be blasphemy."
The poster of the documentary film at the centre of the row recently went viral on social media with several people saying that the poster was an insult to the Hindu goddess and hurt religious sentiments.
However, the Trinamool Congress has condemned party MP Mahua Moitra’s remarks on Goddess Kaali referring to the Hindu deity as a "meat-eating, alcohol-accepting goddess". "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 tweet put out by the official handle of TMC read.
FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION NOT RESERVED FOR HINDU DEITIES
Shiv Sena MP Priyanka Chaturvedi also criticised the Kaali poster that showed the goddess smoking and pointed out that freedom of expression cannot be reserved for Hindu deities. Taking to Twitter, she said, "Freedom of expression cannot be reserved for Hindu Gods and Goddesses, while for the rest one must tip toe around religious sensibilities." "I am offended with the movie poster on Ma Kaali, respect has to be equal for all," she added. A poster of the documentary Kaali which shows the goddess smoking and holding an LGBTQ flag has triggered a major controversy and filmmaker Leena Manimekalai has been accused of hurting religious sensibilities.
The poster showing the goddess Kali smoking triggered fury on social media and prompted the Indian High Commission in Toronto to ask for the posters to be removed.
"Our Consulate-General in Toronto has conveyed these concerns... we are informed several Hindu groups have approached authorities in Canada to take action," read a statement, "We urge Canadian authorities and event organisers to withdraw all such provocative material."
On Monday, police in Uttar Pradesh registered a FIR against Manimekali and two others who worked on the film on charges of 'criminal conspiracy, offence in place of worship, deliberately hurtling religious sentiments, (and) intention to provoke breach of peace'.
Meanwhile, Manimekalai, who was born in Tamil Nadu, has defended the poster. "I have nothing to lose. Till the time I live, I wish to live with a voice that speaks what I believe without fear. If the price for that is my life, it can be given," she tweeted.
