On Thursday, September 7, DMK leader and Tamil Nadu Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin claimed that BJP is twisting his remarks on Sanatan Dharma and using his statements to divert attention. The Tamil Nadu politician stated that he would face all legal implications associated with what he said. Udhayanidhi Stalin further claimed that the BJP is alleging that he called for the genocide of Hindus. This is days after Udhayanidhi Stalin generated a political storm earlier this week by comparing the Hindu civilizational religious philosophy with ‘malaria’ and ‘dengue’ and called for the annihilation of Sanatan Dharma.
“I believe, like the spread of diseases like COVID-19, Dengue, and Malaria by mosquitoes, that Sanatan Dharma is responsible for many social evils. I will say it today, tomorrow, and forever: Our resolve to stop Sanathana Dharma from the Dravidian land would not reduce even a bit,” he was quoted as saying.
He also opined that “Sanatan Dharma is a principle that divides people in the name of caste and religion.” However, releasing a statement on Twitter (X) on 7 September, the DMK leader blatantly attacked the Centre and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, accusing them of twisting his anti-Hindu remarks.
“For the last 9 years, all your (BJP) promises are empty promises. What have you exactly done for our welfare is a question currently being raised in unison by the entire country against an unarmed, fascist BJP government. It is in this background that the BJP leaders have twisted my speech at the TNPWAA conference as ‘inciting genocide’. They consider it a weapon to protect themselves,” he said.
“What is surprising is that those like Union Minister Amit Shah and Chief Ministers of BJP-ruled states were demanding action against me based on fake news,” Udhayanidhi claimed.
Let us resolve to work for the victory of the ideologies of Periyar, Anna, Kalaignar and Perasiriyar. Let Social Justice flourish forever. pic.twitter.com/Eyc9pBcdaL
— Udhay (@Udhaystalin) September 7, 2023
He further stated that he should be the one filing criminal and other judicial charges against BJP supporters and leaders for spreading defamation while occupying positions of respect. “But I am aware that this is their mode of survival. They don’t know how else to survive, so I decided not to do that,” he noted.
Udhayanidhi meanwhile also stated that the DMK supports all religions that teach that all lives have been created equal. “Everyone knows that we are not enemies of any religion,” he added.
“I would like to quote Anna’s comment on religions which remains relevant even today. If religion leads people toward equality and teaches them fraternity, then I too am a spiritualist. If a religion divides people in the name of castes, if it teaches them untouchability and slavery, I would be the first person to oppose religion,” he said quoting Annadurai.
Udhayanidhi meanwhile also stated that the DMK supports all religions that teach that all lives have been created equal. “Everyone knows that we are not enemies of any religion,” he added.
“But without an iota of understanding about any of these, Thiru Modi and Co are solely dependent on such slanders to face the Parliamentary elections. For the last 9 years, Modi has been doing nothing. Occasionally he demonetizes money, builds walls to hide huts, builds new Parliamentary buildings, erects a Sengol (sceptre) there, and plays around by changing the name of the country, standing at the border and making the white flag work,” the statement by Stalin read.
He alleged that PM Modi and the BJP workers were attempting to divert people’s attention from the clashes happening in Manipur. “Thiru Modi and co are using the Sanatan ploy to divert the attention from the facts including the killing of more than 250 people in the riots incited in Manipur and the Rs 7.5 lakh crore corruption,” he charged.
This comes as BJP leaders from Tamil Nadu met Governor RN Ravi on Thursday, September 7, and submitted a memorandum for his intervention in filing cases against Udhayanidhi Stalin for his alleged hate speech against Sanatan Dharma.
BJP leaders from Tamil Nadu met Governor RN Ravi & submitted a memorandum for his intervention in filing cases (in line with the Hon Supreme Court’s guidelines) against Udhayanidhi Stalin for his alleged hate speech at the 'Sanatana Eradication' conference and for the dismissal… pic.twitter.com/wuPUq8YceQ
— ANI (@ANI) September 7, 2023
The leaders also demanded the dismissal of Minister PK Sekar Babu for being a part of the ‘Sanatana Eradication’ conference. They said that the Minister had violated his oath to office by attending the conference.
On Saturday, September 2, the Minister for Youth Welfare and Sports Development of Tamil Nadu said, “Mosquitoes, dengue, flu, malaria, corona – we should not oppose these things. They’ve to be eradicated completely.”
Udhayanidhi Stalin, son of Tamilnadu CM MK Stalin, and a minister in the DMK Govt, has linked Sanatana Dharma to malaria and dengue… He is of the opinion that it must be eradicated and not merely opposed. In short, he is calling for genocide of 80% population of Bharat, who… pic.twitter.com/4G8TmdheFo
— Amit Malviya (@amitmalviya) September 2, 2023
“The same is the case with Santanam (Hinduism). Our first work should be to abolish/eradicate Sanatanam instead of opposing it. So, my appreciation to you all for giving an apt title to the meeting,” he further added.
Earlier in December 2022, Udhayanidhi Stalin announced that he and his wife belong to the Christian Faith. “I am proud to call myself a Christian, all the Sanghis today will be burning,” he was quoted as saying.
