Amid the Congress party maintained distance from the row over Tamil Nadu minister Udhayanidhi Stalin’s remark on Sanatan Dharma, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on 3 September put out an old video of Tamil Nadu Congress chief KS Alagiri saying the purpose of the alliance in the state is to destroy Sanatan Dharma, reported Hindustan Times.
Sitharaman’s comments arrive as the Sanatan Dharma row turned into a major controversy with the opposition alliance INDIA (Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance) facing the heat for the DMK leader’s statement.
Sitharaman pointed out Tamil Nadu minister for Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments PK Sekar Babu — present at the event — did not protest when Udhayanidhi Stalin made the statement on eradicating Sanatan Dharma. She took to X and wrote, “Sworn by the Constitution of India, Minister @Udhaystalin calls for the eradication of Santana Dharma, “like mosquitoes”. On the dais, listening without protest is TN Minister for Hindu Religious & Charitable Endowments @PKSekarbabu. President @INCTamilNadu says purpose of alliance is to destroy Sanatana Dharma. I.N.D.I.A against Hindus!”
Earlier in the day, Union home minister Amit Shah led the attack on INDIA as he said, “These people have talked about Sanatan Dharma for votebank appeasement. They have insulted (Sanatan Dharma).”
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Udhayanidhi’s statement row:
Earlier in the day, Tamil Nadu minister Udhayanidhi said Sanatan Dharma is like dengue, malaria which should be eradicated as merely opposing it won’t solve the problem.
He even compared Sanatan Dharma’s practice like Sati with Dravidian principles and said, “What did Sanatan do to women? It pushed women, who lost their husbands, into fire (the erstwhile practice of Sati), it tonsured the heads of widows and made them wear white saris. Child marriages too happened.”
As his statement triggered a massive row with the BJP calling INDIA leaders anti-Hindu, Udhayanidhi stood by what he said.
“I am ready to present the extensive writings of Periyar and Ambedkar, who conducted in-depth research on Sanatan Dharma and its negative impact on society in any forum. Let me reiterate the crucial aspect of my speech: I believe, like the spread of diseases like COVID-19, Dengue, and Malaria by mosquitoes, that Sanatan Dharma is responsible for many social evils,” the former actor said.
Congress MP Karti Chidambaram had said, “Sanathana Dharma is nothing but code for a Caste Hierarchical Society. All those batting for it are hankering for the Good Ole Days! Caste is the Curse of India. In the common parlance of TN ‘Sanathana Dharma’ means Caste Hierarchical Society. Why is that everyone who is batting for ‘SD’ comes from the privileged segment who are beneficiaries of the ‘Hierarchy’ There was no call for ‘Genocide’ against anyone, this is a mischievous spin.”
Apart from hitting out at Opposition, BJP dug out an old video of Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge saying that if PM Modi is strengthened, then Sanatan Dharma and RSS will reign in the country.
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