Udhayanidhi Stalin
Credit: PTI Photo
Chennai: Tamil Nadu Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin has made it clear that he will not apologise for his comments on “annihilating” Sanatana Dharma that led to a major row, bringing the DMK and its ally, Congress, in the line of fire of the BJP.
In his speech at a wedding ceremony on Monday, Udhayanidhi, without mentioning Sanatana Dharma and the row over his remarks made in September 2023, said his comments were merely a reflection of the reforms carried out by Dravidian "legends" E V R Periyar, C N Annadurai, and M Karunanidhi.
He also credited the Dravidian Movement for "ensuring that women broke the shackles in many spheres".
“My comments were taken out of context and they spread lies. They filed cases not just in Tamil Nadu but across the country. I was asked to apologise but I said there was no going back on my remarks. I am Karunanidhi’s grandson and won’t apologise,” he added.
Udhay had in September 2023 stoked a row by equating Sanatana Dharma with “dengue, malaria, and corona (coronavirus)” and calling for its “eradication” from the society – a statement that the BJP pounced on to target the Dravidian party and its ally, Congress.
This was not the first time that DMK leaders came under attack for their controversial remarks on Sanatana Dharma. In the past, DMK MP and A Raja was in the thick of a controversy for his remarks on the caste system within Hinduism and Manusmrithi.
Udhay had said Sanathana Dharma is a principle that divides people in the name of caste and religion. Uprooting Sanatana Dharma will lead to upholding humanity and human equality, he had added.
“The conference’s title is apt. I appreciate them for pushing for eradication of Sanatana and not merely opposing it. For instance, mosquitoes, dengue, malaria, and corona, we should eradicate these, and not just oppose them. Likewise, Sanatana should also be eradicated from society. It is not enough if we merely oppose it,” he had said.
The Deputy Chief Minister’s comments had not just brought the DMK in the BJP’s line of fire but also the Congress, which took pains to distance itself from the remarks.