Kolkata/Bhopal: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday said 'people make mistakes but they can be rectified', with his comments being seen in the backdrop of the controversial remarks on goddess Kali made by her party MP Mahua Moitra.
"We make mistakes while working 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 said while addressing a students' credit cards distribution event in Kolkata, ANI reported.
Her remarks come amid Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra facing a barrage of criticism from the BJP and Congress while being massively trolled on social media. FIRs were registered against Maitra and filmmaker Leena Manimekalai in multiple States including Madhya Pradesh.
The controversy erupted on July 4 after a poster of Toronto-based filmmaker Leena Manimekalai's documentary “Kaali” showed the goddess smoking and holding an LGBTQ flag. The poster triggered widespread condemnation in India.
Also read: 'Prove me wrong if you can': Mahua Moitra challenges BJP over 'Kaali' Controversy
When TMC MP was asked for a comment on the matter, she said, "Kaali to me is a meat-eating, alcohol-accepting goddess. You have the freedom to imagine your goddess." This kick-started a political slugfest across party lines.
TMC distanced itself and said in a tweet that the comments made by Moitra were 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." On Wednesday, Moitra dared the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to prove that whatever she said is wrong.
"I do not want to live in an India where BJP's monolithic patriarchal brahminical view of Hinduism will prevail and the rest of us will tiptoe around religion. I will defend this till I die. File your FIRs - will see you in every court in the land," tweeted Moitra.
Also read: Leena Manimekalai now shares pic showing Lord Shiva, Parvati smoking
"I challenge the BJP anywhere in the country to prove anything that I said is wrong," Moitra added. She doubled down on her comments, saying she was 'not afraid of anything'. "Jai Ma Kali! The goddess Bengalis worship is fearless & non-appeasing," she wrote on Twitter on Wednesday.
"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," she said.
The TMC leader has been booked for allegedly hurting religious sentiments. An FIR has been registered in Bhopal against Moitra under section 295A of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) for hurting religious sentiments.
