New Delhi, May 13 (PTI) The Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) on Wednesday condemned the “anti-Sanatan” remarks made by DMK leader Udhayanidhi Stalin in the Tamil Nadu Assembly and demanded that his statement be expunged from the House records and legal action be initiated against him for promoting “Hindu hatred”.
The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) affiliate further questioned whether Stalin would dare make similar remarks against any other religion.
The reaction came after the leader of opposition in the Tamil Nadu Assembly on Tuesday called for the “abolition” of Sanatan Dharma, claiming that it divides people, repeating the controversial remarks he made in September 2023.
VHP international president and senior advocate Alok Kumar said the repeated insults and denigration of Sanatan Dharma and Hindu beliefs are contrary to democratic and constitutional values.
“Such highly-objectionable and divisive remarks should be immediately removed from the Assembly records, and necessary measures should be taken to prevent the recurrence of such incidents in the future,” he said.
Kumar said the new chief minister of Tamil Nadu should clearly state his government’s position on whether it stands for the respect of Sanatan traditions and Hindu beliefs or supports such “divisive, malicious and anti-Hindu statements”.
He further said the Tamil Nadu government received substantial revenue from the state’s renowned temples and religious institutions associated with the Sanatan tradition.
“It is extremely ironic that the very families and political parties which directly or indirectly derive benefits from Sanatan traditions, temples and the Hindu society are themselves speaking about eliminating Sanatan.
“Despite this, displaying an anti-Sanatan mindset amounts to undermining the very source from which they benefit,” he added.
The VHP president also claimed that Sanatan Hindu Dharma is the cultural soul not only of Tamil Nadu but of the entire country.
“History bears witness that many ideologies which attempted to eradicate Sanatan have themselves disappeared, while Sanatan continues to guide the society with the same strength, faith and universality, and will continue to do so in the future as well,” he said.
VHP joint general secretary Surendra Jain also condemned Stalin over his remarks on Sanatan Dharma and demanded that the Assembly speaker initiate legal action against him.
In a statement, Jain termed the remarks “anti-constitutional” and alleged that they promoted enmity in the society.
“The statement made by Udhayanidhi Stalin in the Tamil Nadu Assembly on May 12 is highly condemnable. In this statement, he spewed venom against Sanatan Hindu Dharma. VHP appeals to the Assembly speaker to expunge his statement immediately and take necessary legal action against him,” he said.
Calling Stalin a “habitual offender”, Jain said the DMK leader is already facing trial over one of his earlier statements.
“He should keep in mind that Tamil Nadu is a great state where Sanatan Dharma has flourished. Grand temples, celebrations of religious and social functions and the tradition of saints are strong evidence of it,” he said, adding that the southern state would play a significant role in the “resurgence” of Sanatan Dharma.
“Sanatan is eternal. Those who want to destroy it will themselves be finished, but Sanatan will survive forever,” he said.
Jain also appealed to newly-elected Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay to condemn the remarks.
“The great Tamil society has made you victorious with overwhelming support. You are expected to condemn the anti-constitutional and venomous statement made by Udhayanidhi,” he said.
Alleging that the DMK had “looted” Hindu temples during its years in power, Jain claimed that temple wealth was misused in the name of governance.
He also said Stalin should “respect the greatness of the Hindu society”, pointing out that a Christian has become the chief minister in a state where Hindus account for 87 per cent of the population.
“You should respect this great Hindu tradition and shun the politics of Hindu hatred,” he added.
In his maiden speech as the leader of opposition in the Assembly, Stalin also said the opposition “will not permit” any attempt to sideline “Tamil Thai Vazhthu” — the Tamil invocation song.
“Sanatan Dharma, which divides people, must certainly be abolished,” he said. Similar remarks made by Stalin in 2023 had created a major row, with the DMK leader facing criticism and court cases from pro-Hindutva outfits over his remarks.
In the Assembly, Stalin highlighted a specific grievance regarding the recent swearing-in ceremony of the new Tamil Nadu government, saying the state anthem was pushed to the third position in the order of events.
“Such an incident, which happened during your government’s swearing-in ceremony, was a mistake and you should not permit it to happen again in this Assembly. We will not permit it,” he said.
The DMK leader added that not just in the Assembly, but at any event in Tamil Nadu, “Tamil Thai Vazhthu” must always be given the primary position. PTI ADI RC
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