Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in his first reaction to the Sanatana Dharma controversy, has said the remarks of Tamil Nadu Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin (left) “needs proper response”.
Mr Modi’s response came a day after Mr Udhayanidhi cited the Central government’s omission of an invitation to President Droupadi Murmu for the inauguration of the new parliament as an example of discrimination by practitioners of Sanatana dharma.
Sanatana Dharma translates to “eternal law”, and can be used as an alternative name for Hinduism used in Hindi alongside the more common Hindu.
The minister, the son of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin, has refused to apologise for his comment that Sanatana Dharma is akin to a disease and “should be eradicated”.
He has repeatedly said he is ready to face any legal action for his comments. There are reports that attempts are being made to get the Tamil Nadu Governor’s sanction to initiate action against him.
Over the weekend, Mr Udhyanidhi sparked controversy with his remark that “Sanatana (Dharma) is like malaria and dengue and so it must be eradicated and not opposed”.
It set off massive backlash on social media and prompted the Bharatiya Janata Party to say that it was equivalent to “a call for genocide”, which the DMK leader has denied.
The comment also put some allies of the new Opposition Bloc INDIA in a delicate spot ahead of a series of state elections by the year-end and the general election next year.
The Congress has taken a nuanced stance, saying all religions should be respected and people have the right to express opinions. Younger leaders of the Congress like Priyank Kharge and Karti Chidambaram have backed Stalin Junior. So has the Communist Party’s D. Raja.
Arvind Kejriwal’s Aam Aadmi Party and Mamata Banerjee’s Trinamool Congress have made their disapproval clear.
The DMK leader faces heavy criticism. More than 250 individuals have written to Chief Justice of India D.Y. Chandrachud urging him to take cognisance of the “eradicate Sanatana Dharma” comment, calling it “hate speech.”
Indo-Asian News Service
