Chennai: Coming to the defense of his Minister-son, Udhayanidhi Stalin, on the Sanathan Dharma row, DMK president and Chief Minister MK Stalin stated on Thursday that it is disheartening that Prime Minister Narendra Modi commented on the issue without understanding the context.
"It is disheartening to hear from the national media that the Prime Minister mentioned that Udhayanidhi's remarks need a proper response during a meeting of his council of ministers. The Prime Minister has access to all the resources to verify any claim or report. So, is the Prime Minister speaking without awareness of the lies spread about Udhayanidhi, or is he doing so knowingly?" he asked in a statement.
He pointed out that just a few weeks ago, the Prime Minister spoke in Parliament without knowing the truth about a purported video clip of Tamil Nadu Minister E.V. Velu (regarding the secession of Tamil Nadu).
Udhayanidhi only expressed concerns about Hindu malpractices, Stalin says
Stalin said Udhayanidhi had only expressed certain comments about inhuman principles preached by Sanatan. "He expressed his views on Sanatan principles that discriminate against Scheduled Castes, Tribals, and Women, with no intention to offend any religion or religious beliefs. Many leaders in our Indian subcontinent, such as Thanthai Periyar, Mahatma Phule, Babasaheb Ambedkar, Narayana Guru, Vallalaar, and Vaikuntar, have spoken out against regressive Varnasrama - Manuvad - Sanatan ideologies, which justify discrimination based on one's birth and the oppression of women," the CM said.
As an extension of that lineage, ideological arguments continue to resonate all over India against the justification of denying equal rights to the oppressed and women and exploiting them. Social scientists are well aware of this.
"Even as we launch Chandrayaan to the Moon, some people continue to propagate caste discrimination, emphasizing social stratification based on Varnashrama principles and citing sastras and other ancient texts to support their sectarian claims. Notably, a Governor (TN's RN Ravi) has openly supported child marriage and claimed his own marriage was a child marriage. If we initiate legal action against those who conducted child marriages, he defends them and lays stumbling blocks for the investigation," Stalin charged.
He said some people use the term "Sanatan" to perpetuate the oppression of women. Udhayanidhi spoke out only against such oppressive ideologies and called for eradicating the practices based on those ideologies.
Stalin charged that pro-BJP forces, unable to tolerate his stance against oppressive principles, have spread a false narrative, alleging that "Udhayanidhi called for the genocide of people with Sanatan thoughts."
Social media amplified false rumors of Udhayanidhi's comments
"The Social Media mob nurtured by the BJP has widely circulated this falsehood in northern states. However, Udhayanidhi never used the word 'genocide' in either Tamil or English. Still, lies were spread claiming so," he pointed out.
If the troll army of BJP spreads these lies, the responsible Union Ministers and State Chief Ministers who belong to BJP should have cared to check what Udhayanidhi actually spoke before commenting on him. "Instead, despite Udhayanidhi’s clear denial, Union Ministers, including Amit Shah, Rajnath Singh, and many others, shared the same lie and condemned Udhayanidhi. Even after Udhayanidhi's denial, these Union Ministers did not retract their statements," he pointed out.
UP Seer Offers Bounty on Udhayanidhi's Head
A self-proclaimed seer from Uttar Pradesh burned Udhayanidhi’s photo and even placed a bounty on his head. "Did the Uttar Pradesh Government take any action against him? Instead, they filed cases against Udhayanidhi," he said.
Neither the Prime Minister nor his Ministers have responded to issues such as Manipur or the ₹7.50 lakh crore worth of irregularities highlighted in the CAG report. Instead, they convened the cabinet on Sanatan. Can these leaders truly protect the backward castes, Scheduled Castes, Tribal people, and uplift women, he asked.
"This is why even Mr. Prakash Ambedkar, the grandson of Babasaheb Ambedkar, wrote yesterday, 'Sanatan Dharma believes in untouchability. How can we accept Sanatan Dharma?'. Does the Hon’ble Prime Minister have an answer?" Stalin wondered.
BJP Remains Unconcerned with Discriminatory Practices in Hinduism
The INDIA alliance, formed by parties opposed to the BJP, seems to have rattled the Prime Minister, he claimed. He is proposing 'One Nation – One Election' out of fear. It is evident that the BJP is not genuinely concerned about the discriminatory practices in Sanatan but rather desperate to create divisions within the opposition alliance. It doesn't take a political genius to recognize this as a political gimmick, he added.
Stalin pointed out that even the chief of RSS, Mohan Bhagwat, has said, 'we kept our own fellow human beings behind in the social system. We did not care for them, and this continued for almost 2,000 years. Until we provide them equality, some special remedies have to be done. Reservations are one of them. Reservations should continue until there is such discrimination.' If the BJP needs any further explanation regarding what Minister Udhayanidhi spoke, they should consult Bhagwat, he said.
Stalin Explains DMK's Motto
"As far as the DMK is concerned, our ideals and goals are transparent and clear. We operate under the motto of 'One clan, One god' and 'Let’s find the God in the happiness of the poor,' he said. If the BJP believes they can tarnish the reputation of a longstanding party like the DMK, they will find themselves sinking in that quicksand, he added.
In a separate statement, Udhayanidhi alleged, "Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Co. are using the Sanatana ploy to divert attention from facts, including the killing of more than 250 people in Manipur and the ₹7.5 lakh crore corruption."
