Trinamool Congress's Mahua Moitra -- who had a clutch of police cases filed against her over her remark on Goddess Kali as a "meat-eating and alcohol-accepting goddess" that has offended the BJP -- today said she stands by her comment and challenged the party to prove her wrong. The BJP, she said, "is trying to impose a monolithic, patriarchal, Brahminical, North Indian idea of my religion".
"I challenge the BJP to prove me wrong. Anywhere in Bengal where they file a case, there will be a Kali temple within 5 km where the goddess is worshipped thus," she told NDTV in an exclusive interview.
Citing the Kalbhairav temple of Ujjain and the Kamakhya temple of Assam, she dared the BJP governments of the two states to file affidavits contradicting her. One of the police cases filed against her is in Bhopal.
In a recent interview, Ms Moitra had said 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.
As her comment set off outrage in the BJP camp and the Bengal BJP called for her arrest, she tweeted: "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".
Today, the 47-year-old Trinamool leader said it was just the BJP gameplan to divert attention from the controversy over Nupur Sharma's remarks on Prophet Mohammad. The difference, she said, was that "Nupur Sharma denigrated the Prophet. I celebrated Goddess Kali".
Ms Moitra's party, Bengal's ruling Trinamool Congress, has distanced itself from the controversy.
Advertisement"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, following which, Ms Moitra unfollowed the party handle.
Asked about the matter today, she said she was a loyal soldier of the party and Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and she will "work it out" with them.
