Chennai: Udhayanidhi Stalin, the head of the DMK, responded with a smile and four words to Jana Sena Party chief Pawan Kalyan dragging out his statement from the previous year that “sanatan dharm” is similar to dengue and malaria. “Let’s wait and see… let’s wait and see,” the Tamil Nadu Deputy Chief Minister stated.
Pawan Kalyan dragged Tamil Nadu’s deputy CM, Udhayanidhi Stalin name into ‘Tirupati temple row’
The deputy chief minister of Andhra Pradesh, Mr. Kalyan, issued a bold challenge to “a Tamil Nadu leader who says ‘sanatan dharm’ is like a virus and must be destroyed.”
He was giving a speech at the Tirupati temple amidst a political dispute over allegations that animal fat was used in the ghee used to create laddoos, which are offerings given to the god and devotees.
“Don’t say ‘sanatan dharm‘ is like a virus and (you) will destroy (it). Whoever said this, let me tell you sir… you cannot wipe out ‘sanatan dharm‘. If anyone tries… then you will be wiped out,” a clad-in-saffron Mr. Kalyan, who declared himself an “unapologetic ‘sanatani’ Hindu, said.
Even though he did not specifically identify Udhayanidhi Stalin, the reference was clear and the DMK quickly retaliated.
Speaking on behalf of the party, Dr. Syed Hafeezullah stated that the DMK “will continue to talk against caste atrocities, untouchability, and caste hierarchy” but “does not talk about any religion, or Hinduism in particular”.
“The BJP, TDP, and Pawan Kalyan are the ones that exploit religion and Hindu deities for their own political ends. They are the real enemies. Mr. Kalyan’s statement is an attempt to shift attention from the crores of people who are impacted by their policies.” Dr. Hafeezullah stated.
Remarks made by Udhayanidhi Stalin regarding “sanatan dharm”
The comment made by Udhayanidhi Stalin regarding “sanatan dharm” caused a heated political controversy, especially as it was made a few months before the 2024 Lok Sabha election and in the midst of the Bhartiya Janata Party’s determined attempt to gain support in Tamil Nadu, a state in which it has never gained any grip.
In an interview with news agency ANI, Prime Minister Narendra Modi reacted to the ‘sanatan dharm virus’ controversy by criticizing the Congress, an ally of the DMK, for their association with “people who are spreading such hatred against ‘sanatan dharm’.
Mr. Stalin said this during a Chennai public function. He said that “sanatan dharm” needed to be wiped out and could not just be rejected. He claimed the ideology is essentially regressive, divides people on caste and gender, and is utterly opposed to equality and social justice.
The backlash was quick, but Mr. Stalin went back to his original position the next day.
“I’ll say the same thing over and over again,” he declared, making it clear that he was merely criticizing the disparities in Indian culture arising from caste. “I didn’t simply include Hinduism; I included all religions… All I mentioned in my speech was that caste divisions should be condemned.”
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