West Bengal Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar on Tuesday assured a delegation of monks of taking all steps in his capacity as per law over the issue of alleged comments on Goddess Kali by Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra.
Dhankhar said that he will "diligently" go through the memorandum submitted by the monks. "I will do whatever is possible in my capacity as per law," he assured them.
Leader of Opposition in West Bengal assembly Suvendu Adhikari (BJP), who held a framed photo of Goddess Kali, was part of the delegation which met the governor at the Raj Bhavan here.
A controversy has cropped up with BJP alleging that Moitra has made unsavoury comments, while she has denied having said anything derogatory and asserted that she is worshipper of the Goddess herself.
Dhankhar told the delegation that the consciousness which is seen in Bengal about Goddess Kali is revered by the whole country and the law needs to take steps on the comments made on the deity.
The governor, who has been at logger heads with the TMC government since assuming office three years ago, said that he is pained by the situation in the state. "The Constitution says that everyone is equal ... Such views do not exist here.
"Appeasement will dent democracy in this state," he said and claimed that only one section of the people are given relief, assistance and financial empowerment in the state.
Holding that in the event of death of a person, his or her caste, creed or colour is not seen in providing relief, the governor iterated that he is seeing it is the other way round in Bengal.
"Problems arise when one is neglected, while the other is given all kinds of assistance. This is a big challenge to governance," he said. TMC spokesperson Kunal Ghosh said that the party does not "disrespect Ma Kali or any God or Goddess." He said the monks were "misled" to go in a delegation to the governor, who is acting as a spokesperson of BJP.
Moitra had said at a conclave on July 5 that Kali, for her, was a meat-eating, alcohol-accepting goddess, a comment which has drawn flak from many quarters. Police complaints have been made against Moitra for the remarks in various states.
-With PTI Input
