New Delhi: A cartoon of Goddess Kali was shared by Ukraine’s Defence Ministry, which was not well received by Indians and the tweet backlashed. The ministry had to delete the tweet and take back the cartoon. Kanchan Gupta, senior advisor to the Ministry of Broadcast and Information made a statement calling out the Ukranian ministry for the act.
The cartoon showed Goddess Kali standing in the middle of a bomb explosion with her tongue out and a garland of severed heads around her neck. The Hindu goddess was shown in the signature Marilyn Monroe pose which led to the discourse against it.
Kanchan Gupta wrote that recently Ukraine Deputy Foreign Minister was in Delhi collecting India’s support on global issues. Kanchan called the cartoon the real face of the Ukraine government and added that the Indian goddess Ma Kali has been caricatured on a ‘propaganda poster’. He called it an ‘assault’ on Hindu sentiments.
Recently #Ukraine Dy Foreign Minister was in Delhi soliciting support from #India
Behind that fakery lurks the real face of Ukraine Govt. Indian goddess Ma Kali has been caricatured on a propaganda poster.
This is an assault on Hindu sentiments around the world.@UkrembInd https://t.co/r84YlsUtZc pic.twitter.com/q7jSG0vGXH— Kanchan Gupta ?? (@KanchanGupta) April 30, 2023
While the Ukranian ministry called it ‘work of art’, it faced a backlash on the internet by Indians.
.Please take note of this defamatory post that shows Maa Kali in a bad light, @MEAIndia @DrSJaishankar
Keep this in mind the next time Ukraine begs for help and support in the UN. pic.twitter.com/WdmWd2ruW9
— Abhishek Kumar Kushwaha (@TheAbhishek_IND) April 30, 2023
Defence of Ukraine handle after deleting tweet on Kali Maa. pic.twitter.com/wMYlsTKVBp
— Dr Poornima ??? (@PoornimaNimo) April 30, 2023
Defence of what ?
Ukraine did not exist for maj Indians before you were attacked by Russia&now you have the audacity to openly insult our supreme goddess
Don’t worry you have invited the wrath of Kali Mata now destruction will be delivered to you ASAP
We will sit back & watch https://t.co/xmFIqRl6Xe
— Sunshine Talkies (@ToofaniDevi) April 30, 2023
Shocked to see Ukraine defence handle mocking Maa Kali a supreme Hindu goddess. @DrSJaishankar must take this up & summon Ukraine?
I really hope Russia sends you more love Ukraine ?#Ukraine #Russia #india pic.twitter.com/ulYqnF1ArN
— Desidudewithsign (@Nikhilsingh21_) April 30, 2023
It is insult to Mata Kali. It is insult to 1.4 billion people.
India should convey a strong message to Ukraine. @DrSJaishankar ji@DefenceU pic.twitter.com/rPXGrA7XlP
— Ashwini Shrivastava (@AshwiniSahaya) April 30, 2023
A few days ago, the German magazine ‘Der Spiegel’, had a similar fate for a cartoon on the India-China conflict.
It is to be noted that cartoons have been a tool of expression to humorously speak truth to power but in the recent times, most of the cartoons have met a similar fate with a lot of backlash or getting cancelled.
