PM Modi Invokes Goddess Kali In Bengal Rally, Mahua Moitra Fires Back With 'She Doesn't Eat Dhoklas' Dig

Trinamool MP Mahua Moitra mocked PM Modi's invocation of Goddess Kali for Bengali votes, implying it's a late, insincere attempt.

This is not Moitra's first foray into controversies over religious iconography.

Source : Special arrangement

Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra reignited political and cultural tensions on Saturday after mocking Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s invocation of Goddess Kali during his rally in Durgapur, West Bengal. Taking a swipe on social media platform X, Moitra wrote, "Bit late in the day to start invoking Maa Kali for Bengali votes Hon’ble @narendramodi—she doesn’t eat dhoklas & never will."

The remark was seen as a dig at the Prime Minister’s apparent pivot from his usual “Jai Shri Ram” slogan to chanting “Jai Maa Kali, Jai Maa Durga” in the heart of Bengal—an attempt widely interpreted as an outreach to the state's spiritual and cultural ethos.

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

 

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Moitra’s jibe also appeared to juxtapose Bengal’s fierce devotional imagery of Kali with Gujarat’s softer culinary symbols, like dhokla, suggesting a disconnect between political messaging and regional identity.

This is not Moitra's first foray into controversies over religious iconography. In 2022, her comment portraying Goddess Kali as a deity who accepts meat and alcohol ignited a nationwide backlash and prompted legal action.

The clash of cultural narratives comes amid a charged political atmosphere in West Bengal, with PM Modi accusing the TMC government of corruption, identity dilution, and appeasement politics during his recent address. Moitra’s post adds to the growing verbal crossfire between the BJP and TMC as both parties intensify their campaigns in the state.

Earlier, the Krishnanagar MP also raised the issue of migrant workers from West Bengal allegedly detained in Odisha. She demanded the immediate release of 23 individuals from Nadia district, who she claimed were being held at verification centres in Jharsuguda since Monday.