Shashi Tharoor backs Mahua Moitra: ‘She wasn’t trying to offend anyone’

The Trinamool Congress has already distanced itself from Moitra’s remarks, saying the views expressed by her have been made in her personal capacity and not endorsed by the party. In fact, the TMC said it strongly condemns such comments.

On Wednesday, Tharoor tweeted: “I am no stranger to malicious manufactured controversy, but am still taken aback by the attack on Mahua Moitra for saying what every Hindu knows, that our forms of worship vary widely across the country. What devotees offer as bhog says more about them than about the goddess.”

“We have reached a stage where no one can say anything publicly about any aspect of religion without someone claiming to be offended. It’s obvious that Moitra wasn’t trying to offend anyone. I urge everyone to lighten up and leave religion to individuals to practice privately.”

Asked about Moitra’s comments, Congress spokesperson Abhishek Singhvi, while addressing a press conference in Bengaluru, said: “I would not like to comment about persons of other parties. But I do believe that balance must be maintained…in that the symbols, the essence of our faith, the heart and spirit of our culture cannot be trivialised by anyone, anywhere.”

In Delhi, Congress spokesperson Ragini Nayak suggested that Tharoor’s views are his personal opinion.

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