Leader of Opposition in Bengal and BJP MLA Suvendu Adhikari on Monday took out a rally in TMC MP Mahua Moitra's Krishnanagar constituency to protest against her recent remarks on Goddess Kali. Adhikari and several BJP leaders, during the rally, raised slogans against Moitra and sought her arrest for “hurting the sentiments” of Hindu devotees.
Addressing the rally, he said, "Despite several complaints, the police and the state administration have been mute spectators. The people of this country and the Hindu devotees won't tolerate the insult of Goddess Kali... The TMC government and the state police have been very active in seeking action against Nupur Sharma. But they have not taken any step against Moitra. There can't be a different set of rules for BJP and TMC leaders. We will wait for a few days and then move the court,"
The parliamentarian triggered a controversy last week as she said that she had every right as an individual to imagine Goddess Kali as a meat-eating and alcohol-accepting goddess and that each person had his or her unique way of offering prayers. The TMC condemned the remark and said that it did not endorse the TMC MP’s views in any way. Moitra is a first-time MP from the Krishnanagar Lok Sabha seat.
Taking to Twitter later in the day, Adhikari said, "We reverentially worship Goddess Kaali as Shakti – primordial, nurturing, destructive (towards evil forces) also loving & benevolent. @AITCofficial MP Mohua Moitra's abhorrent comments & her obnoxious portrayal & characterization of Maa Kaali has offended all Hindus devotees." He claimed that the police inaction against Moitra went on to show Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and her party’s “disregard for Hindu Bengali sentiments”.
"@WBPolice's inaction against her proves @MamataOfficial's acquiescence & brazen disregard for Hindu Bengali sentiments. To protest against disrespect to Maa Kaali & shielding Ms. Moitra, led a procession & addressed a rally today at Krishnanagar; Nadia, her Electoral Constituency." Adhikari wrote. Responding to the allegations, senior TMC leader Kunal Ghosh said the saffron camp was trying to politicize the issue.
"The party has condemned Moitra's remark and has stated that it doesn't support it. The BJP is still trying to politicize the issue by mixing religion with politics," he added.
On Sunday, too, BJP’s IT cell chief and the party's Bengal unit co-in-charge Amit Malviya accused the CM of defending Moitra's “obnoxious portrayal” of the deity. The Krishnanagar MP, without taking any name, had hit back saying that she "would advise BJP Troll-In-Charge for Bengal to tell his masters to stop commenting on things they have no clue about".
