A day after an FIR was registered in BJP-ruled Madhya Pradesh against Canada-based film-maker Leena Manimekalai for allegedly hurting religious sentiments, the Bhopal Police ordered a lookout circular against her on the instructions of the Home Minister.
The lookout notice application was sent to the central government.
A First Information Report was registered in the 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 filmmaker insulted the Goddess for cheap publicity for her documentary “Kaali”.
The Toronto-based director is also facing FIRs in Delhi and Uttar Pradesh.
Moitra, TMC MP from Krishnanagar sparked a major row 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.
