Tamil Nadu Minister Sparks Controversy With Remarks On Sanatana Dharma And Social Justice

Tamil Nadu's Minister and the son of Chief Minister MK Stalin, Udhayanidhi Stalin, caused a controversy when he made a contentious statement about 'Sanatan Dharma' during an event. He expressed his belief that Sanatana Dharma is incompatible with the idea of social justice and should be "eliminated." Udhayanidhi Stalin went further by likening Sanatana Dharma to diseases like dengue and malaria, a statement that has provoked strong criticism from BJP leaders. According to the news agency ANI, Stalin remarked, "Sanatana is like malaria and dengue and so it must be eradicated and not opposed."

Following the viral spread of his statement, an organization called the Legal Right Observatory announced its intention to explore legal actions against Stalin for his derogatory comments. In response, Udhayanidhi Stalin defiantly stated, "Bring it on. I am prepared to confront any legal challenge. We will not be intimidated by such typical saffron threats. We, as followers of Periyar, Anna, and Kalaignar, are committed to upholding social justice and establishing an egalitarian society under the guidance of our CM MK Stalin. I will say it today, tomorrow, and always: Our determination to remove Sanathana Dharma from the Dravidian land will not waver in the slightest."

However, his statement drew a strong reaction from the BJP as well. Tamil Nadu BJP chief K Annamalai tweeted, "The only agenda that the Gopalapuram Family has is to amass wealth exceeding the State GDP. You, your father, or your ideology have adopted ideas from Christian missionaries, and the missionaries aimed to cultivate individuals like you to echo their harmful ideology. Tamil Nadu is a land of spirituality, and the most you can do is hold a microphone at an event like this and vent your frustration."

Additionally, BJP's Amit Malviya explained on Twitter, "Rahul Gandhi speaks of 'mohabbat ki dukaan' (shop of love), but Congress ally DMK's scion talks about eradicating Sanatana Dharma. Congress's silence implies support for this genocidal call. INDIA Alliance, true to its name, if given an opportunity, will obliterate the millennia-old civilization that is Bharat (India)."