Chennai: A day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi reportedly urged his ministers to provide a “proper response” to Tamil Nadu Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin’s remarks on ‘Sanatana Dharma’, the state’s Chief Minister M.K. Stalin Thursday spoke up in defence of his son. “It is unfair of the Prime Minister to make comments without knowing what Udhayanidhi said,” he said.
Hon'ble Minister @UdhayStalin didn't call for 'genocide' as distorted by BJP, but only spoke against discrimination. Disheartening to see the 'responsible' Hon'ble Prime Minister, Union Ministers and BJP Chief Ministers ignore facts and driven on fake narratives despite having… pic.twitter.com/F9yrdGjxqo
— M.K.Stalin (@mkstalin) September 7, 2023
After Udhayanidhi’s call to “eradicate” Sanatana Dharma (believed to be a set of duties incumbent upon all Hindus), which he likened to “dengue and malaria”, another Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) leader and Lok Sabha MP A. Raja went on to reportedly compare it to “HIV and leprosy”.
The DMK saw a series of statements on the issue Thursday, including by Udhayanidhi, who reiterated his stand.
In his four-page statement posted on X, Udhayanidhi labelled himself an “heir” of DMK founder C.N. Annadurai, and said that his party was not an enemy of any religion. “I would like to quote Anna’s comment on religions which remains relevant even today. ‘If a religion leads people towards equality and teaches them fraternity, then I, too, am a spiritualist. If a religion divides people in the name of castes, if it teaches them untouchability and slavery, I would be the first person to oppose the religion.’ We respect all religions that teach, ‘all lives are born equal’,” the statement said.
He added that his 2 September speech at the ‘Annihilation of Sanatana’ conference, organised by the Tamil Nadu Progressive Writers and Artists Association (TNPWAA) of CPI(M), was “twisted” by the BJP. “For the past nine years, all your (BJP) promises are empty promises. What have you exactly done for our welfare?… It is in this background that the BJP leaders have twisted my speech at the TNPWAA conference as ‘inciting genocide’. They consider it a weapon to protect themselves,” he said.
Let us resolve to work for the victory of the ideologies of Periyar, Anna, Kalaignar and Perasiriyar. Let Social Justice flourish forever. pic.twitter.com/Eyc9pBcdaL
— Udhay (@Udhaystalin) September 7, 2023
CM Stalin, in his statement, has said that his son had not used the word “genocide” in his Tamil or English speeches. “Prime Minister has access to all the resources to verify any claim or report. So, is the prime minister speaking unaware of the lies being spread about Udhayanidhi, or does he do so knowingly?” he asked.
Meanwhile, Udhayanidhi has alleged that Modi and the BJP are solely depending on slander to face the Parliamentary elections. “For the past 9 years, Modi has been doing nothing. Occasionally he demonetises money, builds walls to hide huts, builds a new Parliamentary building, erects a Sengol there, plays around by changing the name of the country, standing at the border and making the white flag work,” the DMK minister added in his statement.
The BJP has condemned Udhayanidhi’s comments with the party’s state vice-president Narayanan Thirupathy taking potshots at the DMK leader saying that he became a minister simply because he is the CM’s son.
Speaking to ThePrint, he said: “He should know about the country, government, administration and Sanatana to speak about it. The nine years of Modi government has brought about huge infrastructure growth in the country, including in Tamil Nadu, with the help of the Centre. Without knowing all these things, he is blabbering something.”
Hitting out at A. Raja’s remark, All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) spokesperson Kovai Sathyan alleged that the DMK minister was a “a dynast slave” and had compared Sanatana to “HIV and leprosy” to “please his bosses”. “Raja and Udhayanidhi must be taken to task for their remarks and must be punished according to law,” he said to ThePrint.
Also read: Army veterans & ex-judges seek action on Udhayanidhi’s ‘Sanatana Dharma’ remark in letter to CJI
BJP vs DMK Model of governance
Since Saturday, when Udhayanidhi spoke at the Annihilation of Sanatana conference, many of DMK’s allies in the opposition INDIA bloc have distanced themselves from his comments.
Udhayanidhi further stirred the pot Wednesday when, while speaking to reporters in Chennai, he said that he would not apologise for his remarks and gave an “example” of alleged social discrimination by the ruling government. “Honourable President Droupadi Murmu was not invited for the opening (ceremony) of the (new) Parliament building. That is the best example,” he said.
He also slammed Opposition AIADMK chief Edappadi K. Palaniswami for “dancing to the tunes of its ally BJP”.
He further accused the PM and the BJP of using the “Sanatana ploy” to divert attention from the riots in Manipur and the “7.5 lakh crore corruption”.
The BJP’s senior leadership from across the country has condemned Udhayanidhi’s remark and reiterated its allegation that the DMK is an “anti-Hindu party”. It also likened Udhayanidhi’s comment to Hitler calling for Holocaust.
In Uttar Pradesh, cases have reportedly been filed against Udhayanidhi and Karnataka minister Priyank Kharge, who backed the remark, for allegedly outraging religious feelings, and FIRs have been filed under Indian Penal Code (IPC) sections 295 A (deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage the religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or the religious beliefs) and 153 A (promoting enmity between two different groups).
Meanwhile, according to reports, many DMK supporters in Tamil Nadu have filed an FIR against Ayodhya seer Ramchandra Das Paramhans Acharya who had Monday offered Rs 10 crore to anyone who would behead Udhayanidhi, and against Amit Malviya, in-charge of BJP’s IT wing, for twisting Udhayanidhi’s words and trying to provoke religious groups.
In his statement Thursday, Udhayanidhi, who questioned how a seer who has renounced everything has Rs 10 crore, added that he was ready to face cases filed against him legally. He has also requested the party cadres to avoid filing cases, burning effigies or putting up posters against opposition and advised them to instead work towards the party’s second state-level conference of the youth wing, Parliamentary elections and other party work.
(Edited by Zinnia Ray Chaudhuri)
Also read: PM Modi reacts to Udhayanidhi’s Sanatan Dharma remarks, asks ministers to give ‘befitting reply’