I'm a practicing Hindu, never ate beef, says Curly Tales founder Kamiya Jani

Curly Tales founder Kamiya Jani's visit to Puri's Shree Jagannath Temple has ignited a political controversy. Jani has found herself at the centre of a storm, facing criticism and demands for apologies from political factions. The Congress called for an apology from Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, while the BJP accused Jani of being a "beef eater" and questioned her entry into the strictly Hindu shrine.

Jani, in response, took to social media to issue a clarification, asserting her Hindu faith and denying any promotion of beef consumption. In a video posted on Instagram, she explained that her visit aimed to seek blessings and showcase the temple's infrastructure development. She expressed regret that the visit had taken a controversial turn.

"My aim behind visiting the Shree Jagannath Temple in Puri was to seek blessing of the deity and inform people about the infrastructure development of the shrine. It is unfortunate that my visit has become controversial," Jani said in the video.


Noting that the temple authorities have rules, Jani said, "I want to clarify that I haven't broken any rule. I am a practising Hindu. I have neither consumed beef nor promoted it."

Jani said that as a food blogger she has informed people about local cuisines of various places and that's what happened in Kerala video, whose screenshots are being used. "This might be a misunderstanding. This clarification is to put an end to the misunderstanding," she said in the video.

The BJP not only targeted Jani but also demanded action against BJD leader VK Pandian for allegedly facilitating her temple visit. Union Minister Giriraj Singh criticised Pandian for showing "disregard to religion, history, and spirituality" by allowing a "beef promoter" into the revered shrine.

On the other side, BJD MP Manas Mangaraj questioned the BJP's objections, highlighting the BJP government's engagement of Jani to make films on Hindu heritage and temples. Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, while refraining from directly addressing Jani, emphasised the need to avoid actions that hurt the sentiments of devotees.

Inputs from PTI