Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra has hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi for invoking Goddess Kali and Durga during his rally in Durgapur, West Bengal. Moitra, known for her vocal criticism of the BJP, said the Prime Minister’s attempt to appeal to Bengali sentiments was “a bit late.”
During his Friday address in Durgapur, PM Modi greeted the crowd in Bengali and began his speech by chanting, “Jai Maa Kali, Jai Maa Durga,” deviating from his usual “Jai Shri Ram” slogan. The gesture, seen as a strategic outreach to Bengal’s cultural and religious roots, drew an immediate response from Moitra.
TMC’s misrule in West Bengal has been marked by lies, lawlessness and loot. The people are turning towards the BJP with hope. Watch from Durgapur. https://t.co/SZMEEM8rmb
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) July 18, 2025
Responding on social media, Mahua Moitra said, “Bit late in the day to start invoking Maa Kali for Bengali votes PM Modi. She doesn’t eat dhoklas and never will.”
Bit late in the day to start invoking Maa Kali for Bengali votes Hon’ble @narendramodi – she doesn’t eat dhoklas & never will.
— Mahua Moitra (@MahuaMoitra) July 19, 2025
The reference to dhokla, a popular Gujarati snack, served as a jab at the Prime Minister’s home state and reflected Moitra’s earlier critiques of the BJP’s cultural messaging. In the past, she has accused the party of attempting to dictate food habits and cultural practices, especially in non-vegetarian eating communities like Bengal.
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In 2022, Moitra stirred controversy by calling Goddess Kali a “meat-eating and alcohol-accepting goddess,” which led to an FIR being filed against her. She has maintained that cultural and religious practices differ across regions and should not be homogenised.
Earlier this year, the Krishnanagar MP had again taken a swipe at the BJP after a video went viral showing men allegedly threatening shopkeepers in Delhi’s Chittaranjan Park fish market. Sharing the video, Moitra said, “Everybody has seen the horrifying visuals of the lumpen BJP goons threatening the Bengalis in Chittaranjan Park. Chittaranjan Park is a Bengali colony. Bengalis are proud fish-eating people.”
She further added, “Is the BJP going to tell us what we are going to eat and where we should have our shops? Is the BJP going to tell us how we should eat dhoklas and chant Jai Shri Ram thrice a day?”
The BJP had dismissed the video as fake and politically motivated.
