'Like Covid, Sanatana dharma is...': MK Stalin's son sticks to his words; is this what was agreed by INDIA in Mumbai, asks BJP

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin's son Udhayanidhi Stalin on Saturday sparked a massive controversy after he compared Sanatana dharma with "dengue" and "malaria" and said that it should be "eradicated". He claimed that Sanatana Dharma is against social justice and equality. "Few things cannot be opposed, that should be abolished only," he said while speaking at a 'Sanatana Abolition Conference'. "We can't oppose dengue, mosquitoes, malaria or corona. We have to eradicate this. That's how we have to eradicate Sanatana," he was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.

Udhayanidhi further said that rather than opposing Sanatana, it should be eradicated. "The name Sanatana is from Sanskrit. It is against social justice and equality." 

The DMK minister faced serious pushback by the BJP, whose IT Cell head Amit Malviya slammed his remarks and said he was "calling for the genocide of 80 per cent of the population". In a tweet, Malviya said Udhayanidhi Stalin has linked Sanatana dharma to malaria and dengue and he is of the opinion that it must be eradicated and not merely opposed.

"In short, he is calling for the genocide of 80 per cent population of Bharat, who follow Sanatana dharma. DMK is a prominent member of the Opposition block and a long-standing ally of the Congress. Is this what was agreed in the Mumbai meet?" Amit Malviya wrote on X, referring to the INDIA alliance's third meet which was also attended by Tamil Nadu CM MK Stalin.    

Responding to Malviya, Udhayanidhi said he never called for the "genocide" of people who were Sanatana Dharma followers but he said he stood by his every word. "Sanatan Dharma is a principle that divides people in the name of caste and religion. Uprooting Sanatan Dharma is upholding humanity and human equality," he said.

"I stand firmly by every word I have spoken. I spoke on behalf of the oppressed & marginalized, who suffer due to the Sanatan Dharma," the DMK leader said, adding that he was ready to present the extensive writings of Periyar and Ambedkar, who conducted in-depth research on Sanatan Dharma "and its negative impact on society in any forum".

"Let me reiterate the crucial aspect of my speech: I believe, like the spread of diseases like COVID-19, Dengue, and Malaria by mosquitoes, that Sanatan Dharma is responsible for many social evils. I am prepared to confront any challenges that come my way, whether in a court of law or the people's court. Stop spreading fake news."

Tamil Nadu BJP President K Annamalai, too, objected to Udhayanidhi's remarks and said that "the eradication of a particular culture is called genocide". He said the word 'Sanatana Dharma' was there even before the Christian religion or Islamic religion came. 

"'Sanatana Dharma' means eternal, timeless dharma. It has been there for a long long time...What Udhayanidhi spoke yesterday should be condemned by the 142 crore people of the country because hatred for a particular religion came out yesterday. He was reading the speech from a text, which was consciously prepared. The eradication of a particular culture is called genocide... Who is Udhayanidhi Stalin to abolish 'Sanatana Dharma'?" the BJP leader said while speaking to ANI.