Sanatana Dharma controversy: Congress, Sena (UBT) criticize remarks, Stalin supports son

In response to Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) leader Udhayanidhi Stalin’s controversial remarks on Sanatana Dharma on Thursday, two members of the INDIA grouping—the Congress and the Shiv Sena (UBT)—took a cautious stance, even as the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) continued its criticism and Tamil Nadu chief minister MK Stalin defended his son.

Udhayanidhi’s statement on September 2 that sanatana dharma is “against social justice and equality” and should be “eradicated” caused a political uproar. The BJP claimed that INDIA was engaging in appeasement politics, while the DMK backed him by stating that he was merely speaking out against the problems with the caste system. Union Home Minister Amit Shah charged him of “insulting” Hindu values.

Yogi Adityanath, the chief minister of Uttar Pradesh, said that efforts are being made to criticize “our Sanatana culture”. But they failed to remember that Sanatana, which even Ravan (the demonic monarch from the epic Ramayana) couldn’t obliterate despite his haughtiness and which survived the horrors committed by Babar and Aurangzeb.

Sanjay Raut, the head of the Sena (UBT), requested that Udhayanidhi abstain from expressing his personal opinions publicly on Thursday.

“Since Udayanidhi Stalin is a minister, no one would agree with him, hence one should avoid making remarks like his. All of us are members of the INDIA bloc.The DMK may have this opinion. There are almost 90 crore Hindus in this nation.Each everyone has their own feelings. You can’t offend them emotionally…We shouldn’t give the BJP reason to attack us,” Raut added.

The Congress, the bloc’s biggest member, attempted to distance itself from Udhayanidhi’s comments as well.

The Congress has traditionally supported sarvadharma sambhav, or interfaith harmony, in which each religion and belief has a place. No one has the right to consider one religion as inferior to another. The Indian National Congress does not support such remarks and neither does the Constitution, according to Congress spokesman Pawan Khera.

Stalin, however, retaliated against the BJP, citing media reports that said Prime Minister Narendra Modi had demanded a “proper response” on the matter.

In a statement, Stalin stated his son “expressed his views on sanatan principles that discriminate against scheduled castes, tribals, and women, with no intention to offend any religion or religious beliefs.” This was his first remark since the dispute began.

“Numerous luminaries on our Indian subcontinent, like Thanthal Periyar, Mahatma Phule, Babasaheb Ambedkar, Narayana Guru, Vallalaar, and Valkuntar, have spoken out against the outdated Varnasrama-Manuvad-Sanatan doctrines that support the subjugation of women and inequality based on one’s birth. As a continuation of that tradition, ideological arguments against the defense of depriving the downtrodden and women of equal rights and using them continue to resound across India. This is widely known to social scientists, Stalin continued.

“The BJP-cultivated social media mob has extensively disseminated…falsehood in northern states. However, neither in Tamil nor in English did minister Udhayanidhi use the phrase “genocide.” However, misinformation was disseminated that claimed otherwise,” he stated.

Anurag Thakur, a Union minister, questioned Rahul Gandhi’s “silence” on the issue when another DMK politician, A Raja, compared Sanatan Dharma to a socially stigmatized illness like leprosy. However, the BJP persisted in its onslaught.

He said, “Rahul Gandhi should explain why he is silent on the disrespect shown by the leaders,” adding that the nation would not put up with such treatment or the “disrepute” of sanatana dharma.

This occurred the day after many cases relating to Udhayanidhi’s statements and responses to them were brought in different regions of the nation. At Rampur in Uttar Pradesh, a first information report (FIR) was filed against Udhayanidhi and Priyank Kharge, the Karnataka minister who supported his statement. Cases were also filed against Amit Malviya, head of the BJP’s IT department, for allegedly misrepresenting the DMK leader’s statement, and an Ayodhya-based seer for allegedly placing a bounty on Udhayanidhi.

Stalin added in his speech that it was depressing to read stories that the PM had said in a council of ministers meeting that Udhayanidhi’s comments need a suitable retort.

The Prime Minister may acquire all the information needed to confirm any assertion or allegation. Are the Prime Minister’s remarks being made knowing or unknowing of the misinformation being disseminated against Udhayanidhi? Stalin enquired. The chief minister said that the PM was alarmed by the emergence of the INDIA grouping, which consists of 28 opposition parties.

However, the BJP remained steadfast, criticizing Raja and pressing Rahul Gandhi for an answer.

According to Thakur, the “Ghamandia alliance” seemed to be competing with one another to disparage sanatana dharma. “They are minimizing ‘Sanatana Dharma’…Rahul Gandhi is asleep somewhere. Be awake…Do you agree with these assertions? Is this not a breach of the law and the constitution? This is clearly hate speech. Shouldn’t they apologize to the nation’s citizens? Added he.

Dharmendra Pradhan, a member of his cabinet, wrote on X, “Changing one’s name does not mask one’s goal and character. A Raja, a DMK minister, made shocking and venomous remarks regarding Sanatana Dharma, which highlight the I.N.D.I.A. bloc’s mental instability and ingrained Hinduphobia. The nation is witnessing as Congress and its allies purposefully disparage the heart, soul, and origins of India.

Sanatana dharma, according to party leader Ravi Shankar Prasad, is respected by the Constitution and cannot be destroyed. Lord Ram, Krishna, Arjuna, Nataraja, and Hanuman are shown on the Indian Constitution, along with the signatures of Dr. Rajendra Prasad, Jawaharlal Nehru, BR Ambedkar, and others. Nobody can annihilate Sanatana Dharma since it is protected by the Constitution, he told ANI.

“It has been five days since Udhayanidhi Stalin’s statement…Rahul Gandhi, Nitish Kumar, and Lalu Prasad Yadav are silent,” says Union Minister Giriraj Singh.When do they plan to speak?