A complaint has been filed against Tamil Nadu Sports Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin before the Muzaffarpur Chief Judicial Magistrate Court in Bihar for his remarks on Sanatana Dharma. Lawyer Sudhir Kumar Ojha has filed the complaint claiming that Mr. Udhayanidhi’s statement had hurt the religious sentiments of crores of Hindus.
Bihar Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) State president Samrat Choudhary too slammed Mr. Udhayanidhi and sought clarification from Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and Janata Dal (United) over the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) leader’s remark. RJD and JD(U), along with the DMK, are part of the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA).
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Mr. Udhayanidhi’s comments calling for the eradication of Sanatana Dharma has triggered a political row. “Just like how dengue, malaria, or coronaviras need to be eradicated, and not just opposed, we have to eradicate Sanatana,” he had said while addressing a conference organised by the Tamil Nadu Progressive Writers Artists Association in Chennai on Saturday.
“I have filed a criminal case against Tamil Nadu Sports Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin and his father M.K. Stalin who is the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu. I have filed the case under Sections 500, 504, 295,298 and 120(B) of Indian Penal Code. Udhayanidhi Stalin has intentionally issued the statement to eradicate Sanatana. His comment has hurt the sentiment of crores of Hindus. He has issued the statement on the instruction of his father M.K. Stalin for political gains,” Mr. Ojha said.
The court has accepted the complaint and hearing in the case will take place on September 14.
Mr. Choudhary on the other hand sought clarification from ruling RJD and JD(U) stressing that both parties should clarify their stand on the statement of the DMK leader.
“RJD and JD(U) are supporting DMK so they should clarify their stand on his statement. Do they support his statement or not? These people are doing politics of appeasement and we cannot tolerate such statements. Bihar is the birthplace of Maa Sita and Lord Ram is worshiped in the entire country. The people of Bihar will teach lessons to the ghamandiya [arrogant] alliance,” Mr. Choudhary said.
He further claimed that eradicating Sanatana Dharma was the agenda of INDIA bloc leaders during the Mumbai meet. Mr. Choudhary said RJD supremo Lalu Prasad, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi should speak on Mr. Udhayanidhi’s statement.
“The people of this country will eradicate those people who want to eradicate Sanatana Dharma. BJP is standing like a rock with Sanatana,” Mr. Choudhary said.
Former Deputy Chief Minister and BJP Rajya Sabha MP Sushil Kumar Modi said that the Opposition alliance INDIA was born to defame Sanatana Dharma and India. They are the “East India Company” of our times, in which there is a competition to humiliate Hindus and grab power by dividing them.
He said that Mr. Kumar, the contender for the post of convener in the alliance, should explain whether he agrees with the statement or not.
“His [Mr. Udhayanidhi’s] statement about eradicating Sanatana Dharma belongs to the political agenda to insult Hindus and appease Muslims. If the alliance of two and a half dozen Opposition parties is testing the tolerance of crores of Hindus, then it will definitely have to face the consequences in 2024,” Mr. Modi said, adding that a sedition case should be filed against the DMK leader.
