Bhubaneswar (Odisha) [India]: Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Sunday criticised Tamil Nadu Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin’s ‘Sanatana Dharma should be eradicated’ remark and said that the “reality of some people in Tamil Nadu has now come out”.
He further added that nothing is going to happen with these political remarks as ‘Sanatana’ is eternal.
“The reality of some people in Tamil Nadu has now come out. Just a few days ago, we organised Kashi Tamil Sangamam, and Lord Vishwanath is commemorated in every village in Tamil Nadu. ‘Sanatana’ is eternal, nothing is going to happen with these political remarks. This is their frustration and agitation, it will not be of any use,” he said.
Meanwhile, seeking to steer the Congress away from the statement of DMK leader Udhayanidhi Stalin, equating Sanatan Dharma with “mosquitoes, dengue, malaria, and corona”, the party’s Maharashtra chief Nana Patole on Sunday said the partner in the DMK-led ruling coalition in Tamil Nadu doesn’t believe in hurting any religious sentiments.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin’s son, Udhayanidhi Stalin, railed against Sanatan Dharma on Saturday while addressing a conference in Chennai and said, “Few things cannot be opposed, they should only be abolished.
We can’t oppose Dengue, mosquitoes, Malaria, or coronavirus, we have to eradicate them. In the same way, we have to eradicate Sanatana (Sanatan Dharma). Rather than merely opposing Sanatana, it should be eradicated.”
Speaking to media on Sunday, Patole invoked Dalit icon BR Ambedkar’s ‘Sarva Dharma Sama Bhava’ (all religions are the same) remark, saying, “Our stand is clear. The Congress neither comments nor believes in hurting anyone’s religious sentiments.”
“We can’t take the onus for someone else’s statement. But our position has been clearly articulated,” the Congress leader added.
