Sanatan dharma is like dengue, malaria, Covid, and must not only be opposed, but “eradicated”, Udhayanidhi Stalin said.
New Delhi: Udhayanidhi Stalin, the son of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin, on Saturday triggered a massive row as he equated Sanatan Dharma with contagious diseases like dengue, malaria and the flu. Speaking at a ‘Sanatana Abolition Conference’, Udhayanidhi Stalin compared Sanatan Dharma to viral diseases and the ideology must not only be opposed, but “eradicated”.
“Few things cannot be opposed, that should be abolished only. We can’t oppose Dengue, Mosquitoes, Malaria, or Corona, we have to eradicate this that’s how we have to eradicate Sanatana. Rather opposing Sanatana it should be eradicated,” the Tamil Nadu Minister for Youth Welfare and Sports Development told the gathering, according to news agency ANI.
“I thank the organisers of this conference for giving me the opportunity to deliver a special address. You have kept the name of the conference as ‘Sanatana Abolition Conference’ rather than ‘Anti-Sanatana Conference’, I appreciate that,” Udhayanidhi further said.
He is Udhayanidhi Stalin
He is son of Tamilnadu Chief Minister Stalin & also a minister in Tamil Nadu’s DMK govt
He has equated Sanatana Dharma to diseases like malaria and dengue
What does he mean by it? Is he conspiring to ki!l Hindus?
Will he be arrested? pic.twitter.com/kxADZ426d5
— Mahesh Vikram Hegde 🇮🇳 (@mvmeet) September 2, 2023
The DMK leader claimed that Sanatana Dharma is opposed to social justice and equality and must be eradicated.
Udhayanidhi Stalin posted on X (formerly Twitter) and said that he is ready to face any legal challenge and will not be cowed down by usual “saffron threats.”
“Bring it on. I am ready to face any legal challenge. We will not be cowed down by such usual saffron threats. We, the followers of Periyar, Anna, and Kalaignar, would fight forever to uphold social justice and establish an egalitarian society under the able guidance of our CM MK Stalin. I will say it today, tomorrow, and forever: Our resolve to stop Sanatana Dharma from the Dravidian land would not reduce even a bit,” Udhayanidhi posted on X.
BJP hits back
Meanwhile, responding to Udhayanidhi’s remarks, BJP IT cell chief Amit Malviya lashed out at the DMK minister for targeting Sanatana dharma. Malviya claimed that Udhayanidhi was calling for the “genocide of 80 per cent of the population” by calling for eradication of Sanatan Dharma.
“Udhayanidhi Stalin, son of Tamil Nadu CM MK Stalin, and a minister in the DMK government, has linked Sanatana dharma to malaria and dengue. He is of the opinion that it must be eradicated and not merely opposed. In short, he is calling for the genocide of 80 per cent population of Bharat, who follow Sanatan Dharma. DMK is a prominent member of the Opposition block and a long-standing ally of the Congress. Is this what was agreed in the Mumbai meet?” Amit Malviya wrote on X.
(With ANI inputs)