‘His personal opinion’: Congress on Shashi Tharoor's support for Mahua Moitra
Earlier today, Tharoor tweeted that he was ‘taken aback’ by the attack on the Trinamool parliamentarian, that too for ‘saying what every Hindu knows’.
The Congress on Wednesday sought to distance itself from party MP Shashi Tharoor, after the senior politician supported Trinamool Congress leader Mahua Moitra, who stoked a major controversy with her remarks on Goddess Kali.
Also Read | Shashi Tharoor says Mahua Moitra attacked for saying what every Hindu knows, 'Bring it on, BJP,' says TMC MP
Congress spokesperson Ragini Nayak described Tharoor's posi as his ‘personal opinion’.
“Shashi Tharoor ji expresses his personal opinions assertively, and has done the same on this issue as well. The Congress party's clear stand is that like Gandhiji said, religion is a matter of personal faith for a person. But we should also be careful that we don't do do anything that hurts sentiments of a person from another religion. It is the duty of everyone to ensure that,” Nayak told news agency ANI.
Moitra's remarks, too, were her ‘personal opinion’, she further said, adding that the Trinamool distancing itself from the statement was that party's ‘internal matter’.
Also Read | TMC MP Mahua Moitra unfollows party on Twitter amid ‘Kaali’ controversy
Meanwhile, senior Congress leader and lawyer Abhishek Manu Singhvi, speaking on the issue, said that people must be careful when talking about symbols, culture and faith. “I believe that balance must be maintained in symbols and essence of our faith. Heart and spirit of our culture cannot be trivialised by anybody, anywhere,” ANI quoted Singhvi as saying.
The controversy erupted on Tuesday, when speaking at India Today's Conclave East 2022, Moitra said the following about Goddess Kali: “For me, she is a meat-eating and alochol-accepting Goddess. I, within Hinduism, and being her worshipper, have the right to imagine Kali in that way. That's my freedom.”
Also Read | Mahua Moitra's 'Satyamev…' amid Kaali row; 'What about lookout notice,' asks BJP
The Trinamool MP's comment came amid controversy over the poster of a documentary, ‘Kaali’, that shows a woman dressed as the Goddess smoking a cigarette.
Also Read | 'Never backed any film, poster': Mahua Moitra clarifies amid 'Kaali' row
Multiple complaints have been filed against her, including four in her home state, West Bengal.
