Cases registered in MP against Moitra, 'Kaali' director Manimekalai for `hurting religious sentiments'

Separate FIRs were registered on Wednesday in BJP-ruled Madhya Pradesh against Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra and Canada-based film-maker Leena Manimekalai for allegedly hurting religious sentiments.

A First Information Report was registered in state capital Bhopal against Moitra over her remark about Goddess Kali, whereas two FIRs were registered against Manimekalai for tweeting a controversial poster of her documentary film which shows the Goddess smoking and holding an LGBTQ flag.

An FIR was registered against Manimekalai in Ratlam city following a complaint by one Prashant Gwaliyari, a local resident.

Indian Penal Code (IPC) sections 153-A (Promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion), 295-A (Deliberate and malicious acts, intended to outrage religious feelings of any class) and 504 (Intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of the peace) were invoked in the FIR, said Station Road police station in-charge Kishor Patanwala.

In Bhopal, an FIR was registered against Moitra at the crime branch police station under section 295-A on the complaint of one Ram Chandra, a local tea-seller.

Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said in a statement that ''we will not tolerate disrespect to any Hindu Gods and Goddesses at any cost.'' Another FIR was filed against Manimekalai in the evening by Bhopal's crime branch following a complaint by BJP leader and patron of Jagrat Hindu Manch Durgesh Keswani under section 295-A. Keswani alleged that the film-maker insulted the Goddess for cheap publicity of her documentary ''Kaali''. The Toronto-based director is also facing FIRs in Delhi and Uttar Pradesh.

Moitra, MP from Krishnanagar, got embroiled in the controversy when she said at a conclave, in response to the row over the ''Kaali'' poster, that she had every right as an individual to imagine Goddess Kali as a meat-eating and alcohol-accepting deity, as each person had his or her unique way of offering prayers.