Udhayanidhi Stalin, the Tamil Nadu minister and son of Chief Minister MK Stalin, made a statement on Saturday asserting that Sanatana Dharma stands in opposition to the principles of social justice and should be “eliminated.”
What did Udhayanidhi Stalin have to say?
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has launched a scathing critique against DMK leader Udhayanidhi Stalin for his recent comments in which he advocated for the “eradication” of Sanatan Dharma, the core teachings of Hinduism, and drew parallels between it and “mosquitoes, dengue, malaria, and corona.”
Udhayanidhi Stalin drew a controversial analogy by likening Sanatana Dharma to diseases such as dengue and malaria, a statement that has garnered vehement disapproval from BJP leaders. He stated, “Sanatana is akin to malaria and dengue and hence should be eradicated rather than resisted,” as reported by the news agency ANI.
What were the reactions to Udhayanidhi Stalin’s statement?
Accusing Udhayanidhi of espousing a viewpoint allegedly influenced by Christian missionaries, Annamalai expressed his criticism on X (formerly Twitter). He wrote, “The Gopalapuram Family’s sole objective appears to be amassing wealth exceeding the entire State GDP. Mr. Udhayanidhi Stalin, it seems that you, your father, and your ideological alignment have embraced ideas propagated by Christian missionaries, who aimed to nurture individuals like you to echo their contentious ideology.”
Continuing his critique, Annamalai remarked, “Tamil Nadu is renowned for its deep-rooted spiritual traditions. Your most fitting role would perhaps be to grasp a microphone at such gatherings and vent your frustrations through your words!”
In a similar vein, Amit Malviya, the chief of the BJP IT cell, strongly condemned Udhayanidhi for his statements, asserting that the minister appeared to be advocating for the “genocide of 80% of Bharat’s population, who adhere to Sanatan Dharma.”
Sharing a video of Udhayanidhi’s comments, Amit Malviya posted on X (formerly known as Twitter), “Udhayanidhi Stalin, the son of Tamil Nadu CM MK Stalin and a member of the DMK Government, has drawn a connection between Sanatana Dharma and diseases like malaria and dengue… His stance appears to advocate not just opposition, but the complete eradication of Sanatana Dharma. In essence, he seems to be endorsing what could be perceived as a call for the eradication of the 80% population of Bharat who adhere to Sanatan Dharma.”
What was Udhayanidhi Stalin’s defense?
Coming to Udhayanidhi’s defense, DMK Joint Secretary and Spokesperson Saravanan Annadurai asserted that Udhayanidhi’s statement had been “distorted” and “misrepresented.” Speaking to the news agency ANI, Annadurai stated, “Our leader Udhayanidhi’s remarks have been twisted, taken out of context, and the most prolific purveyor of fake news has posted a tweet claiming that Udhayanidhi Stalin called for genocide.”
Furthermore, he elaborated, “If the Prime Minister utters the phrase ‘Congress Mukt Bharat,’ does that imply he is calling for genocide? How can they allege that Udhayanidhi Stalin is advocating for genocide? This is baseless misinformation and constitutes hate speech. Those responsible for spreading false news and sowing discord should be held accountable by the law. When we express a desire to move away from ‘Sanatana Dharma,’ it signifies our intent to dismantle the entrenched caste system. The DMK is a political party that champions the rights of Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, and Other Backward Classes; we stand up for them. On the other hand, the BJP is perceived as a party that primarily caters to upper-caste Hindus.”
Furthermore, he elaborated, “If the Prime Minister utters the phrase ‘Congress Mukt Bharat,’ does that imply he is calling for genocide? How can they allege that Udhayanidhi Stalin is advocating for genocide? This is baseless misinformation and constitutes hate speech. Those responsible for spreading false news and sowing discord should be held accountable by the law. When we express a desire to move away from ‘Sanatana Dharma,’ it signifies our intent to dismantle the entrenched caste system. The DMK is a political party that champions the rights of Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, and Other Backward Classes; we stand up for them. On the other hand, the BJP is perceived as a party that primarily caters to upper-caste Hindus.”
