'This is brazen hate speech': Ukraine gets slammed for mocking Goddess Kali

Ukraine's Ministry of Defence has come under fire for sharing a controversial poster depicting Goddess Kali. Kanchan Gupta, senior advisor to the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting, shared a tweet by Ukraine's ministry, which called the poster - a "work of art". Gupta said this was an assault on Hindu sentiments around the world.

This poster comes just days after Ukraine's Deputy Foreign Minister Emine Dzhaparova visited India, the first high-profile visit since the war began in Ukraine.  

"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," Gupta said.

On April 25, Gupta in a tweet said Ukraine took a consistent anti-India position at the UN but it was seeking help from India. "You take a consistent anti-India position at the UN. You vote for UNSC sanctions against India after 1998 nuclear tests. You push for UN intervention on Kashmir after abrogation of Article 370. You sell military equipment to Pakistan to use against India. Yet you want India’s help," he said.

Today, he said Ukraine's anti-India stance at the UN remained unchanged. "Ukraine continues with military deals with Pakistan. Ukraine has now mocked Goddess Kali in a manner no foreign Govt/country has ever done. This is brazen hate speech," he said.

Reacting to the tweet, Utsav Sanduja, a political analyst, said he had the post archived. "The Ukrainians have an opportunity to apologize here," he said.

Another user, Prasad Chaubal, said Ukraine should not hurt the sentiments of billions of Indians. "India has a right to be neutral. Such acts will make it even more difficult to get support from India. Ma Kali is our goddess and must be respected. In fact, Ukraine should pray to her and will see the miracles happening," he wrote on Twitter.

Ukraine has been at war with Russia since February 2022. India has not taken any side in the conflict so far and called for dialogue to resolve the crisis.