DMK leader Udhayanidhi Stalin on Tuesday repeated his remark, calling for the “eradication” of Sanathanam or Sanatan Dharma. During an address in the Tamil Nadu Assembly in the presence of newly-appointed chief minister C Joseph Vijay, Udhayanidhi said: “Sanathanam that divides people should be eradicated.”
A clip of his remarks, made in Tamil, soon went viral, with people commenting on how the Leader of Opposition in Tamil Nadu repeated the claim in Vijay’s presence. Follow live updates on Tamil Nadu politics here.
BJP spokesperson CR Kesavan reportedly reacted to Udhayanidhi’s remark and criticised it as a toxic rant. “These repeat offenders need to keep in mind that the state emblem of Tamilnadu has a temple Gopuram and the people of Tamilnadu will not forget nor forgive such flagrant abuse and insult of their faith and sentiments,” he said, as per an ANI report.
Kesavan also dragged Congress MP Rahul Gandhi in his attack on the DMK leader and said: “Udayanidhi Stalin is the Rahul Gandhi of Tamilnadu, peddling divisive hate politics. Rahul Gandhi mocked the sacred Sengol and he insulted & boycotted the Pran Prathishta ceremony of Ram Mandir. Like Rahul Gandhi who has been rejected for the past 3 Lok Sabha elections, Udayanidhi Stalin despite being punished and ousted by the Tamil people continues with his toxic rant.”
The BJP leader was referring to Rahul Gandhi’s absence at the Ram Mandir inauguration ceremony in 2024, and his remarks on the controversy linked to the Sengol installed in the Lok Sabha chamber the same year.
Revisiting the massive storm
Udhayanidhi Stalin’s latest remark on Sanatana came nearly three years after a similar statement he made triggered a huge political storm in India. He had said that Sanatana was against the idea of social justice and had to be eradicated.
“A few things cannot be opposed, that should be abolished only. We can’t oppose dengue, mosquitoes, malaria, or corona. We have to eradicate this, that’s how we have to eradicate Sanatana. Rather opposing Sanatana it should be eradicated,” he had said, sparking a big controversy.
Even amid the huge row, Udhayanidhi had remained defiant, arguing he only spoke against caste differences and would continue to repeat the remark “again and again”.
In the most latest development, the Madras High Court in January said that Udhayanidhi’s remarks amounted to “hate speech”.
Udhayanidhi-Vijay exchange in Tamil Nadu Assembly
A silent but warm exchange surfaced in the Tamil Nadu Assembly this morning, as Udhayanidhi Stalin recalled how Vijay, TVK legislator JCD Prabhakar and himself went to the same college.
“I, CM Vijay, Speaker Prabhakar all went to the same college but DMK is the senior batch in governance and we are ready to teach you,” he said in a lighter vein, and Vijay was also seen smiling during the remarks.
Udhayanidhi’s DMK suffered a crushing defeat at the hands of Vijay’s TVK in Assembly elections in Tamil Nadu. While TVK won 108 seats in its debut, the DMK could secure only 59.
