Chennai:

In the midst of a nationwide controversy sparked by his comments regarding ‘Sanatan Dharma,’ DMK leader and Tamil Nadu Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin accused the Bharatiya Janata Party of ‘twisting’ his statement and spreading fake news while adding that he is ready to face whatever cases are filed against him.

Speaking to reporters, Udhayanidhi Stalin said,” I am ready to face whatever cases they file against me. BJP is scared of the INDIA Alliance and to divert that they are saying all this. DMK’s policy is One clan, one God.”

DMK leader Udhayanidhi Stalin said that he only criticised Sanatana Dharma adding that BJP is twisting his statement and spreading fake news on this issue.   

“I am saying again that I only criticised Sanatana Dharma and that Sanatana Dharma should be eradicated. I will say this continuously. Few are being childish saying I invited for genocide while others are saying that Dravidam should be abolished. Does that mean DMKians should be killed?” he said. 

“When PM Modi says ‘Congress Mukth Bharat’, does that mean congressmen should be killed? What is Sanatana? Sanatana means nothing should be changed and all are permanent. But the Dravida model calls for change and all should be equal. BJP twisting my statement and spreading fake news, it’s their usual job,” he added. 

Earlier DMK leader Udhayanidhi said that Sanatan Dharma should not merely be opposed but eradicated. Reacting to these remarks, BJP President JP Nadda sharply criticised the Tamil Nadu Minister and indirectly attacked Congress leader Rahul Gandhi saying ‘Mohabbat ki Dukan’ is spreading hate and asked whether the INDIA alliance is going to use the anti-Hindu strategy in the upcoming elections.

“Are you going to use this anti-Hindu strategy in the upcoming elections? You have proved multiple times that you hate everything related to our country and your ‘Mohabbat ki Dukan is spreading hate,” the BJP president said. 

Hitting back at the DMK leader Udhayanidhi Stalin, Home Minister Amit Shah said, “For the last two days, the INDIA alliance has been insulting ‘Sanatana Dharma’. Leaders of DMK and Congress are talking about ending ‘Sanatana Dharma’ just for vote bank politics. This is not the first time they have insulted our ‘Sanatana Dharma”.

BJP leader Sushil Modi on Sunday said that DMK leader Udhayanidhi Stalin has committed an anti-national act by suggesting that ‘Sanatana Dharma should be abolished’ and questioned the silence of prominent leaders of the INDIA alliance on this issue.

“Udhayanidhi Stalin should be detained and jailed. He is spreading hatred in the community. On one side Rahul Gandhi says ‘Nafrat ke bazaar mein Mohabbat ki dukaan’ and on the other side, a major leader of their ally in Tamil Nadu is saying to eradicate ‘Sanatana Dharma’ completely. This is an Anti-national act,” he said. 

He further questioned the silence of the leaders in the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA). 

“Rahul Gandhi, Nitish Kumar, Lalu Yadav and other prominent leaders of INDIA alliance should come out and mention whether they agree with this or not. All prominent leaders of Congress are silent on this issue. It seems they (leaders of INDIA alliance) agree with Udhayanidhi’s remarks,” he said. 

Condemning the remarks of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin’s son Union Minister G Kishan Reddy on Sunday said that such statements should not be passed. 

“Sanatan Dharma does not belong to a party, region or religion, it is India’s Dharma. It is followed and believed by people of different religions.DMK minister has insulted Sanatan Dharma. It is wrong to insult it as it belongs to everyone. I condemn the statements given by Congress leaders and DMK leaders. Such statements should not be passed,” he said. 

Meanwhile, DMK spokesperson TKS Elangovanis said that the ruling party in Tamil Nadu is working for the 90 per cent of Hindus in the country. 

“Why the country needed an OBC, SC/ST reservation. Because they were not allowed to study. And in the north still, people are fighting against it. Ambedkar fought against it. In the north many leaders including Karpuri Thakur fought against it. They are still fighting against it. They may say that we are against Hindus. We are working for the 90 per cent of Hindus of this country. We fight for them to make them study, to make them get employment like other communities. That is what we intend and that is what Udhayanidhi spoke,” the DMK spokesperson said. 

Coming out in support of DMK leader Udaynidhi Stalin,  Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) chief Thol. Thirumavalavan said that his remarks on Sanatan Dharma are not directed against the Hindu community but rather against Hindutva which is the political agenda of BJP and RSS.

He said that Minister Udhayanidhi spoke in alignment with the ideologies of Periyar and Ambedkar, who advocated for equality.

“Dr BR Ambedkar says ‘Sanatana Dharma’ or Hindu Dharma, is a contagious disease. It should be eradicated and annihilated in future. Then only we can attain equality among the people. So Minister Udhayanidhi spoke about the ideology of Periyar, Ambedkar and equality,” he said. 

“So this is not against the Hindu community. They have their own beliefs, we are not criticizing their beliefs. We are opposing and criticising Sangh Parivar’s agenda. Their agenda is nothing but Hindutva. So we are not against Hindus. We are against Hindutva which is the political agenda of BJP and RSS,” he added. 

Chhattisgarh Deputy Chief Minister TS Singh Deo on Sunday said that Sanatana Dharma’ is an established way of life and it should be completely respected adding that remarks made by Udhayanidhi Stalin on it is a personal opinion of DMK leader. 

“This can be his personal opinion. There are lots of religions in the world and any such comment on any religion is personal, everybody has the freedom. ‘Sanatana Dharma’ is an established way of life and a religious expression. It should be respected completely,” he said. 

Meanwhile, a Supreme Court lawyer on Sunday filed a complaint with Delhi Police against Udhayanidhi Stalin over his controversial statement. 

Complainant Vineet Jindal, a practising lawyer, has claimed that Udhayanidhi in a speech made a provocative, inflammatory, derogatory, and inciting statement against Sanatan Dharam.

By using words like “eradication of Santana dharma’ and comparing Dharma to Mosquitoes, dengue, corona, and malaria and saying that “these things which we cannot oppose, we have to eradicate them. Sanatanam is also like this. Eradication and not opposing Sanatanam has to be our first task” shows his intent of calling and promoting the genocide of Hindu dharma followers, stated the complaint.

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