Jaipur:

Union minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat has said anyone who speaks against the Sanatan Dharma would have his tongue pulled out and his eyes gouged out.

A video of Mr Shekhawat making the purported remarks went viral on social media. He was speaking at a public rally in Barmer district of poll-bound Rajasthan last week during BJP’s Parivartan Yatra.

Reacting to the recent comments made by Tamil Nadu Youth Welfare Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin against the Sanatan Dharma, Shekhawat said, “We have to stand up to the challenge. We will pull out the tongue of anyone who speaks against Sanatan. We will also gouge out those eyes raised against Sanatan.”

“We challenge that no person who speaks against Sanatan will be able to maintain political position and power in this country. They try to attack our culture and history,” he said.

On September 2, Udhayanidhi Stalin, son of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin, had alleged that the Sanatan Dharma is against equality and social justice, and that it should be eradicated. He also likened Sanatan Dharma to coronavirus, malaria, and dengue fever.

In the rally, Mr Shekhawat also said the opposition INDIA alliance is a grouping of those who have been involved in various scams like fodder scam and others. He said opposition parties’ objective is to defeat Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.

“(Congress president) Mallikarjun Kharge says that if Modi wins, Sanatan will become powerful, hence there is a need to defeat him. Two days ago, the DMK Chief Minister’s son made remarks against Sanatan. He (Udhayanidhi Stalin), while comparing it to coronavirus, says that Sanatan culture should be eliminated from the country,” the Jodhpur MP said.

Mr Shekhawat said that many invaders tried to weaken Indian culture for 2,000 years.

“Rulers like Alauddin Khilji and Aurangzeb tried but ancestors of yours and mine were capable and protect the culture. We swear by all those ancestors, whether it is Maharaja Surajmal, Veer Durgadas or Maharana Pratap, that we will not tolerate those who attack Sanatan. We will throw them away,” the Union Jal Shakti Minister said.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

New Delhi:

Senior BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad today questioned why was Congress leader Sonia Gandhi “silent” on the controversy surrounding remarks on ‘Sanatan Dharma’. Calling her alleged silence “an indication of approval” to what is being said by some Opposition leaders, the BJP leader asserted that his party was proud of the Sanatan tradition, which he said gives an opportunity for all to be equal, regardless of caste or community. The Congress has said it does not agree with the remarks, but Mrs Gandhi hasn’t yet made any individual comment.

“You are your party’s biggest leader, you have all the authority, and your silence on this makes the nation anxious,” Mr Prasad said.

The “silence on all else” but “open, shameless, unending criticism” of Sanatan is very painful. he added, referring to a recent remark by DMK leader Udhayanidhi Stalin, who blamed Sanatan Dharma for promoting division and discrimination among people and said it should be eradicated. “Sanatana (Dharma) ought to be eradicated like malaria, dengue and mosquito and not opposed,” he said.

DMK leader A Raja had also reportedly said ‘Sanatan Dharma’ should be compared to diseases such as AIDS and leprosy that have a social stigma attached to them.

“How low will you go, and for how long, just to get votes?” Mr Prasad said while addressing the media in Delhi and questioned if Sonia Gandhi ever felt like visiting the Ram Temple in Ayodhya. Not even one big Congress leader has visited Ram Janmabhoomi yet, he alleged.

Ravi Shankar Prasad also sought to explain Sanatan Dharma by quoting the Rig Veda.

“Truth is one, wise men interpret it differently,” he said, quoting a couple from the holy scripture.

“That is your path of truth, you are free to walk on it; This is my path of truth and I will walk on it. Respect my path and I will respect yours because both our paths reach one truth which is the ultimate truth — eternal, perennial, individual. This is Sanatan.” he added.

“Why are you insulting Sanatan Dharma just for the sake of votes? Why this shameful denigration of Sanatan?” Mr Prasad repeated.

The Congress last week said it does not agree with the remarks of DMK leaders Udhayanidhi Stalin and A Raja on ‘Sanatan Dharma’ and asserted the party believed in “sarvadharma sambhav” (equal respect to all religions).

The opposition party also asserted that every single member of the INDIA alliance has immense respect for all faiths, communities and beliefs.

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and DMK chief MK Stalin had said his son had only spoken about “inhuman principles preached by Sanatan… that discriminate against Scheduled Castes, tribes and women” and “had no intention to offend any religion or religious beliefs”.

New Delhi:

The Congress on Thursday said it did not agree with the remarks of DMK leaders Udhayanidhi Stalin and A Raja on ‘Sanatan Dharma’ and asserted the party believed in “sarvadharma sambhav” (equal respect to all religions).

The opposition party also asserted that every single member of the INDIA alliance has immense respect for all faiths, communities and beliefs.

The assertion came amid a political row after DMK leader Udhayanidhi Stalin blamed ‘Sanatan Dharma’ for promoting division and discrimination among people and said it should be eradicated. Also, DMK leader A Raja reportedly said ‘Sanatan Dharma’ should be compared to diseases such as AIDS and leprosy that have a social stigma attached to them.

Also Read | MK Stalin Defends Son In ‘Sanatan Dharma’ Row

Asked about comments by leaders of ally DMK, Congress’ media and publicity department head Pawan Khera said, “The Congress has always believed in ‘sarvadharma sambhav’ wherein every religion, every faith has its space. No one can treat any particular faith as less than another faith. Neither the Constitution allows this nor the Indian National Congress believes in any of these comments.”

“If you know the history of the Indian National Congress you would know that we have always maintained (this stand) and you will find the same principles in the Constituent Assembly debates and the Constitution of India. There can never be a rethink on the Constitution as far as the Congress is concerned,” he said.

Pressed further as to why the Congress had not condemned the remarks, Khera said, “I just said we do not agree with such comments.” Asked if the Congress would raise this with its ally DMK, Khera said there is no need to raise these issues because “we know for a fact that each one of our constituents also respects every religion”.

“Now if you want to twist anybody’s remarks, they are free to do so. If it suits the PM let him twist those remarks but every single member of the INDIA alliance has immense respect for all faiths, communities, beliefs and religions,” he said.

(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)