Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra on Wednesday, 6 July, took to Twitter to challenge the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), asserting that she was not afraid of "their ignoramuses, their goons, their police, most certainly not their trolls."
The tweet came after it was reported that Jiten Chatterjee, a BJP leader filed a complaint, accusing Moitra of hurting religious feelings through her allegedly controversial remarks on the film Kaali.
Another complaint under the same charges was filed against Moitra by Vivekananda Bauri, a BJP MLA from Raghunathpur.
"If no action is taken then Hindus will hit the road in protest of the remark democratically," Bauri wrote in his complaint addressed to the inspector incharge of the Ragunathpur Police Station.
Mahila Morcha president Tanuja Chakraborty also sought an FIR against the MP, suggesting that she was "promoting hatred and outraging Hindu feelings."
Further, BJP MLA from Siliguri Shankar Ghosh lodged a complaint against Moitra for hurting Hindu sentiments.
Meanwhile, another FIR under section 295A (deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage religious feelings) of the Indian Penal Code was registered against Moitra in Bhopal.
"Hindu religious sentiments have been hurt by Mahua Moitra's statement. Insult of Hindu deities will not be tolerated at any cost," Madhya Pradesh CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan was quoted as saying by ANI.
‘Culture Cannot Be Trivialised by Anybody Anywhere: Congress MP
Reacting to the controversy, Congress MP Abhishek Singhvi said, "We won't like to comment on other parties, but I believe that balance must be maintained in symbols and essence of our faith," reported ANI.
Singhvi added that one must be careful when playing with the emotions of people which are reflected in such symbols, culture, and faith.
'Our Party Is Secular, Respects All Religions': TMC MP
Clarifying that the Trinamool Congress does not approve of the film's poster, MP Saugata Roy said that the party also does not approve of Moitra's remarks.
"It's our party's official position. Our party is secular, it respects all religions," Roy told news agency ANI.
Subsequently, commenting on the FIRs registered against Moitra, Saugata Roy hit out at the Centre and said, "Until BJP takes action on Nupur Sharma for her comments against Prophet, they have no right to speak about anything else," the ANI report added.
Roy said that "as far as FIRs are concerned, it's on Mahua Moitra to take care of that."
What Moitra Said
The TMC MP had sparked controversy and became the subject of Hindutva trolling after making comments in support of the poster of the film Kaali, which shows the actor who plays the goddess smoking.
Speaking at the India Today East Conclave in Delhi on Tuesday, Moitra had said, "Within Hinduism, being a Kali worshipper I have the freedom to imagine my Kali in that way. That is my freedom and I don't think anyone's sentiments should be hurt. I have the freedom as much as you have to worship your God."
(With inputs from ANI.)
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