BJP likens Udhayanidhi's remarks on Sanatan Dharma to Hitler's characterisation of Jews

Keeping the heat on the Opposition over Udhayanidhi Stalin's Sanatan Dharma remark, the BJP on Tuesday likened the DMK leader's controversial comments to Hitler's characterisation of Jews.

"Uday Stalin's meditated comment is unadulterated hate speech and a call for genocide of 80 per cent population of Bharat, who follow Sanatan Dharma. Congress and I.N.D.I.A alliance support for Stalin's bile is most disconcerting," the BJP posted on X.

The party alleged that there is an eerie similarity between how Hitler characterised the Jews and how Udhayanidhi Stalin described Sanatan Dharma.

"Like Hitler, Stalin Jr also demanded, that Sanatan Dharma be eradicated… We know how Nazi hate culminated in Holocaust, killing approx 6 million European Jews and at least another 5 million Soviet prisoners of war and other victims," it said.

In his address at a meeting of the Tamil Nadu Progressive Writers and Artists Association in Chennai last week, the DMK leader likened Sanatan Dharma to coronavirus, malaria and dengue and said such things should not be opposed but destroyed.

He, however, claimed later that he had not called for violence against the followers of Sanatan Dharma.

"Sanatan Dharma is a principle that divides people in the name of caste and religion. Uprooting Sanatan Dharma is upholding humanity and human equality," he alleged while reiterating his remarks against Sanatan Dharma, a term used by many Hindus to describe their religion.