It has been a long and tumultuous week for TMC’s Krishnanagar MP and firebrand speaker Mahua Moitra after she found herself in the center of controversy over her comments at the India Today East Conclave.
Her remarks about how she pictured the Hindu goddess of time and death Kali made her the subject of continuous Hindutva trolling, FIRs from across the country and worst of all – her own party distancing itself from her comments.
But what started as yet another Mahua Moitra vs TMC saga, was hijacked by the BJP after Prime Minister Narendra Modi invoked Goddess Kali during his speech on Sunday, 10 July.
What Did Mahua Moitra Say?
Speaking at the India Today conclave on 5 July, Moitra said:
For me, goddess Kali is a meat-eating and alcohol-accepting goddess. And if you go to Tarapith, you will see sadhus smoking. That is the version of Kali people worship (there). I, within Hinduism, being a Kali worshipper, have the right to imagine Kali in that way; that is my freedom.Mahua Moitra
She further added that she has the freedom to envision her goddess in that form, as much as others have the freedom to worship their gods and goddesses as ‘vegetarian and white-clothed'.
Her comments came amid the ongoing controversy over the poster of Filmmaker Leena Manimekalai’s film ‘Kaali’ which depicts an actor playning dressed as the goddess, smoking a cigarette. Several users claimed that the poster "hurt religious sentiments".
The video of her comment posted online went viral and invited backlash immediately. The TMC immediately distanced itself from her, and tweeted that they condemn such comments.
Moitra clarified in a tweet shortly after, that her comments were not made in reference to the poster, and that she did not mention ‘cigarette-smoking’ anywhere. But that didn’t stop the trolling or the FIRs.
From TMC vs Moitra to TMC vs BJP
The narrative took a complete 360-degree turn on Sunday after PM Modi invoked the goddess while speaking at an event organized by the Ramakrishna Mission. He said that the blessings of 'Maa Kali are always with the country', which is moving ahead with a spiritual energy for the welfare of the world.
Swami Ramakrishna Paramhansa was one such saint who had a vision of Maa Kali and had surrendered his whole being at the feet of Maa Kali. He used to say this whole world, everything is pervaded by the consciousness of Goddess Kali. This consciousness is visible in the Kali Puja of Bengal. This consciousness is visible in the faith of Bengal and the country.Narendra Modi, Prime Minister
PM Modi’s comments shifted the focus from Moitra to him as parties including TMC and even CPI-M whose leaders were previously attacking Moitra, made PM Modi their target.
TMC MP Sougata Roy said that the Prime Minister does not know about Kali puja.
He may have come one or two times to Belur Math or Dakshineswar, but how would he know about Kali puja. Mamata Banerjee has Kali thakur in her residence and she does Kali puja. So, we are not going to take lessons on Kali puja from the BJP.Sougata Roy, TMC MP
Meanwhile, CPI-M MP Bikash Bhattacharya too slammed the PM saying that he should talk about the constitution and ‘safeguarding all religions’ instead of ‘speaking on a particular religion and invoking God’.
BJP IT-cell chief Amit Malviya who had been going tooth and nail against Moitra, tweeted in PM Modi’s praise.
Moitra, who has been very vocal in defense of her statement from the get-go, slammed Malviya.
BJP MP Smriti Irani, during her visit to Howrah on Monday, 11 June, said that TMC is a repeat offender when it comes to insulting gods and goddesses.
It is not impossible for a Trinamool MP to insult Mother Kali. In the past too, the TMC top leadership has insulted the gods and goddesses in various ways.Smriti Irani, Union Minister for Women and Child Development
TMC Supremo and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee without naming Moitra said that people make mistakes, but they can be rectified.
Some people don't see all the good work and suddenly start shouting. Negativity affects our brain cells so let's think positively.Mamata Banerjee, Chief Minister, West Bengal
Not Mahua Moitra's First Tussle With Her Party
Moitra has a mind of her own, and she hasn’t always towed the party line when it comes to expressing her opinions about issues. Recently, she condemned the alleged rape and murder of a 14-year-old girl in her district of Nadia. She had promised justice to the family of the victim. She even visited the family.
This was at variance with the party's stand.
There is no word to describe the horrible incident. Parents are still in shock. I have assured the family that the full extent of the law would be implemented to bring the perpetrators to justice.Mahua Moitra, TMC MP
Her comments came after CM Banerjee was accused of victim-blaming when talking about the incident and invited backlash from many. While Moitra’s comments can be seen as damage-control after the CM’s remarks, it must be noted that in the TMC, Mamata Banerjee’s word is the last word.
Another major Mahua vs TMC incident unfolded shortly before the civic polls when CM Banerjee publicly snubbed Moitra during an administrative meeting in December.
Mahua, I want to give a clear message here. I don’t need to see who against whom is. If someone does not like a person, he or she sends some people news on YouTube or in newspapers. This kind of politics can go on for one day but not forever. It is not right to accept that the same person will be in the same place forever. When there is an election, the party will decide who will contest. There is no room for disagreement here. We should all work together.Mamata Banerjee, Chief Minister, West Bengal
This came amidst infighting between the Mahua camp and the Jayant Saha camp in Nadia which had even led to the party performing poorly in the Assembly elections in the district. BJP won nine out of 17 seats in the district of which Moitra was in-charge.
She was later made the party’s state-in-charge in Goa before the Assembly elections. She was replaced by Kirti Azad after the party drew a blank in the polls.
While Moitra doesn’t shy away from speaking her mind, and the TMC had previously benefitted from this trait, it is now coming in the way of the party’s national ambitions and changing electoral strategies to suit the same.
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