Delhi Police and UP Police on Tuesday filed FIRs against filmmaker Leena Manimekalai for hurting religious sentiments with the ‘highly objectionable’ movie poster of Goddess Kaali.
Poster of Kaali. Twitter/@LeenaManimekali
New Delhi: Delhi Police and UP Police on Tuesday filed FIRs against Kaali director Leena Manimekalai for hurting religious sentiments with the ‘highly objectionable’ movie poster of Goddess Kaali.
While UP Police has registered the FIR on charges of criminal conspiracy, offense in place of worship, deliberately hurting religious sentiments, intention to provoke breach of peace, Delhi police said they have filed an FIR under sections 153A (promoting enmity between different groups) and 295A (deliberate acts intended to outrage religious feelings) of the IPC.
The Madurai-born, Toronto-based filmmaker had taken to Twitter to share a poster of her film which depicted a woman dressed in a costume portraying the Goddess and smoking. A flag of the LGBT community is also seen in the background.
The poster has led to a social media storm with the hashtag ‘Arrest Leena Manimekalai’, allegations that the filmmaker is hurting religious sentiments and a member of a group going by the name Gau Mahasabha’ saying he has filed a complaint with Delhi Police.
In response to the attacks, the Toronto-based director hit back to say she was willing to pay with her life.
“I have nothing to lose. Till the time I live, I wish to live with a voice that speaks what I believe without fear. If the price for that is my life, it can be given,” Manimekalai wrote in a Twitter post in Tamil in response to an article on the controversy.
The Madurai-born filmmaker had shared the poster of “Kaali” on the microblogging site on Saturday and said the film was part of the ‘Rhythms of Canada’ segment at the Aga Khan Museum in Toronto.
Manimekalai also urged people to watch the film to understand the context behind the poster.
“The film is about the events during Kaali’s strolls through the streets of Toronto city one fine evening. If they watch the movie, they will put the hashtag ‘love you Leena Manimekalai’ rather than ‘Arrest Leena Manimekalai’,” she added in reply to another article.
Meanwhile, Indian High Commission has urged the Canadian authorities to withdraw the disrespectful depiction of Hindu Gods showcased as part of the ‘Under the Tent’ project at the Aga Khan Museum.
“We urge the Canadian authorities and the event organisers to withdraw all such provocative material,” Indian High Commission in Canada said in a press release.
With inputs from PTI
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