Filmmaker Leena Manimekalai, who stoked controversy by sharing a poster of her documentary film ‘Kaali’ which shows the goddess smoking a cigarette, has shared a fresh post in her defence.
On Thursday, Manimekalai tweeted a photo that shows two people smoking while dressed in the costumes of Lord Shiva and a Hindu goddess. She has captioned the photo “Elsewhere”.
In another tweet, she wrote, "BJP payrolled troll army have no idea about how folk theatre artists chill post their performances.This is not from my film.This is from everyday rural India that these sangh parivars want to destroy with their relentless hate & religious bigotry. Hindutva can never become India."
The Toronto-based director is facing separate FIRs in Delhi, Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh for allegedly hurting religious sentiments.
Leena received a barrage of condemnation from the netizens for hurting the religious sentiments, and they demanded her arrest.
Meanwhile, TMC MP Mahua Moitra also stirred up a controversy with her remarks at a conclave hosted by a media house.
"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," she had said.
For me, Goddess Kali is a meat-eating and alcohol-accepting goddess, she said.
An FIR has been filed against Mahua for her remarks and responding to this. (Inputs from UNI)
