Our deities, our realities: We venerate powerful goddesses but our women leaders have to overcome enormous hostilities

Abstract

Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra was recently heard at a media event speaking on the many different devotional offerings made to goddess Kali. Moitra was responding to a question on a documentary titled Kaali, the poster of which had led to widespread protests. As Moitra’s comments went viral, loud objections began, quickly spiralling into crowd action, and FIRs were subsequently filed against the TMC leader in various parts of Madhya Pradesh and in Delhi.

So febrile is the mood in today’s Politics of Outraged Sentiments that even Moitra’s own party refused to back her. In an earlier time, remarks about rituals might have been ignored, but today when religion is front-ended into the political sphere, even thoughtful or explanatory comments on deities immediately ignite a fireball.[Read More]