Amidst the controversy over Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra’s remarks on goddess Kali, the Bhopal crime branch, on Wednesday, registered an FIR against her for hurting religious sentiments.

Bhopal Additional Commissioner of Police Sachin Atulkar told that the FIR was registered under Section 295-A (deliberate and malicious acts, intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs) after a local person lodged a complaint. “The complainant said he had watched Moitra’s statement on television, made during a conclave by a news channel and it had hurt his religious sentiments,” Atulkar said. He said the complainant's name was being withheld due to the sensitivity of the issue.

A resident of Bhopal’s Jahangirabad locality has filed a complaint against TMC MP Mahua Moitra for hurting the religious sentiments of Hindus with her comments on Goddess Kali at an event on Tuesday.

“We have received a complaint from a local resident which invokes Section 295 (A) of the IPC. We are proceeding towards registering the FIR,” Crime Branch Deputy Commissioner of Police Amit Kumar said.

Even as the FIR was lodged, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said Moitra’s statements had hurt the Hindu religious sentiments. “Insult to Hindu gods and goddesses will not be tolerated at any cost,” he said.

Moitra had on Wednesday tweeted, “Jai Ma Kali! The goddess Bengalis worship is fearless & non-appeasing.” In another tweet she said, “Bring it on BJP! Am a Kali worshipper. I am not afraid of anything. Not your ignoramuses. Not your goons. Not your police. And most certainly not your trolls. Truth doesn’t need back up forces.”

A day earlier, the TMC distanced itself from the remarks made by Moitra on Goddess Kali during a media event on Tuesday. The party said the remarks were made by the MP in “her personal capacity” and were “not endorsed by the party”.