On Monday (25 September), Hindu priests in large numbers gathered in New Delhi to stage a protest demanding action against the leaders of the I.N.D.I. alliance who have given hate speeches against Sanatan Dharma in the past few months. Several Hindu organisations, including the VHP, were part of this ongoing protest.
#BREAKING | Sanatan Dharma insult: Hindu priests hit the streets in the National Capital against MK Stalin government over the controversial statements made by Tamil Nadu Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin.#SanatanaDharma #SanatanDharma #MKStalin #UdhayanidhiStalin #INDIA
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Around 300 to 400 prominent saints and mahants from various Hindu groups gathered in New Delhi to register their protest against the repeated attacks and calls for the eradication of Sanatan Dharma by leaders of the I.N.D.I. alliance. The protesters brought posters with ‘Jai Sanatan Dharma’ inscribed on them and raised slogans in support of Sanatan Dharma.
Initially, the protesters gathered at the Sarojini Nagar bus depot. From there on, they began their march towards the Tamil Nadu Bhawan in the National Capital to call out the anti-Sanatan stance of the DMK-led Tamil Nadu government.
The protesters also brought effigies having pictures of several leaders of the I.N.D.I. alliance who gave hate speeches against Sanatan Dharma including Bihar Education Minister Chandra Shekhar and the son of Tamil Nadu CM, Udhayanidhi Stalin pasted on them. The angry protesters burnt these effigies and asserted that they wouldn’t tolerate insult or disrespect of Sanatan Dharma.
#BREAKING | Anger erupts against I.N.D.I.A bloc leader and Tamil Nadu minister Udhayanidhi Stalin over his remark against Sanatan Dharma; effigies being burnt at the protest site.#SanatanaDharma #SanatanDharma #MKStalin #UdhayanidhiStalin #INDIA
— Republic (@republic) September 25, 2023
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However, according to initial media reports, police have stated that they have not given permission to the protesters to ‘gherao’ Tamil Nadu Bhawan. Additionally, they have taken precautionary measures to stop the march from reaching its designated protest site.
President of Delhi Sant Mahamandal, Narayan Giri Maharaj, asserted that it was surprising that state governments were silent over the issue.
Maharaj said, “Even the Supreme Court has taken cognisance of the hate speech of politicians against Sanatan Dharma. The language used by politicians against Sanatan Dharma creates animosity among communities and strict action should be taken against such political leaders.”
Significantly, this development comes a week after several saints organised a Dharma Sansad in Ayodhya on 18th of September. At the Dharma Sansad, the saints unanimously condemned recurrent hate speeches and attacks by leaders of the I.N.D.I. alliance against Sanatan Dharma and gave a one-week ultimatum to Tamil Nadu Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin to apologise for giving hate speech and calling for the eradication of Sanatan Dharma.
They announced that if Stalin Jr. didn’t apologise, then all the saints and religious leaders of the country would march to Tamil Nadu and stage a protest there.
Additionally, the Dharma Sansad also demanded that the National Security Act (NSA) should be imposed on all those who have made inflammatory and hateful remarks against Sanatana Dharma, compared it with diseases, and called for its eradication including the son of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, Udhayanidhi Stalin.
The Dharma Sansad and today’s protest come in the wake of repeated attacks and hate speeches against Sanatan Dharma by the leaders of the I.N.D.I. alliance. Tamil Nadu Chief Minister’s son Udhayanidhi Stalin equated Sanatan Dharma with diseases like Malaria and Corona and blatantly asserted that it should not be opposed rather it should be eradicated.
The DMK leader said, “Mosquitoes, dengue, flu, malaria, corona – we should not oppose these things. They’ve to be eradicated completely. The same is the case with Santanam. Our first work should be to abolish/eradicate Sanatanam instead of opposing it,” from the dais of ‘Eradicate Sanatan Conference’.
In the long list of anti-Sanatan remarks, DMK leader A Raja argued that Sanatan Dharma should have been compared with HIV, leprosy and Udayanidhi Stalin was soft in comparing it with dengue or malaria.
