The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on September 4 took forward its attack on Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) leader Udhayanidhi Stalin’s remarks on Sanatana Dharma from two days ago with senior Ministers of the Narendra Modi-led government demanding to know whether the DMK’s allies in the Indian National Developmental, Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) bloc parties, particularly the Indian National Congress, were in agreement with the remarks.
Union Minister Rajnath Singh hit out at the Opposition alliance’s silence over Udhayanidhi’s comments on Sanatana Dharma, warning that the nation will not forgive them unless they apologise. He asked why Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and Ashok Gehlot are silent on the issue.
“DMK has attacked Sanatana Dharma and Congress is quiet on it. I want to ask [Rajasthan Chief Minister] Ashok Gehlot why he does not speak, why Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, [Congress president Mallikarjun] Kharge do not say what is their thinking on Sanatana Dharma,” Mr. Singh asked. “Sanatana Dharma cannot be seen as limited to prayers. Sanatana Dharma gives the message of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam and it considers the whole world as one family. The DMK leader should be asked if he has a clarification regarding his statement. The INDIA alliance should apologise otherwise the nation won’t forgive.”
Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal hit out at the Opposition parties and asked the Congress if the INDIA bloc had met in Mumbai to finalise its agenda against Sanatana Dharma and how to finish it off across the country. “Is this your ‘mohabbat ki dukan’ [shop of love],” he asked while accusing the Congress party of spewing venom against the Hindu religion.
Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, addressing a press conference at the BJP headquarters in New Delhi targeted the INDIA bloc and said the leaders of the ‘ghamandia gathbandhan’ [arrogant alliance] “seem to be competing with each other” to “abuse Indian civilisation, its core belief and the Hindu dharma.”
Mr. Pradhan questioned the silence of Nationalist Congress Party supremo Sharad Pawar, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and other leaders of the INDIA bloc over Mr. Udhayanidhi’s remarks, accusing them of practising appeasement politics for votes.
He demanded that the INDIA bloc, especially the Congress, clarify if abusing Hindus and hurting “India’s majority community” is their definition of freedom of expression.
“K.C. Venugopal, a prominent Congress leader, said the Congress believes in ‘sarva dharma sambhav’ and that the party respects freedom of expression. Is abusing Hindus a freedom of expression for you?” Mr. Pradhan asked, adding, “this is not going to work. We condemn it in the strongest words.”
All sects, sects, communities, ways of worship and views born in India are part of Sanatana Dharma, Mr. Pradhan added.
Union Minister Anurag Thakur weighed in by accusing the Opposition INDIA alliance of stooping to any level to win in politics.
Meanwhile, Union Minister Shobha Karandlaje demanded that Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin should immediately sack his son over his alleged remarks. “Our country is connected to religion and temples. He [Udhayanidhi] holds a responsible position and his father is Chief Minister… What is he speaking? What does he think?” she stated.
The row began after Mr. Udhayanidhi, in his speech at a meeting of Tamil Nadu Progressive Writers and Artists Association in Chennai on Saturday, had alleged that Sanatana Dharma was against equality and social justice, and that it should be eradicated. He also likened Sanatana Dharma to “coronavirus, malaria, and dengue fever” and said such things should not be opposed but eradicated.
On Sunday, he said he was ready to face “whatever cases they [BJP] file” against him and hit out at the BJP for “spreading fake news” after a party spokesperson termed his remarks a “call for genocide.”
