How Udhayanidhi Stalin's Sanatan Dharma remarks put Congress in a tough spot

Tamil Nadu youth welfare minister Udhayanidhi Stalin has put the Congress in a tough spot ahead of the 2024 polls. Udhayanidhi, the son of Tamil Nadu chief minister MK Stalin, has sparked a controversy over the weekend after claiming that the ‘Sanatan Dharma’ is against equality and social justice. Udhayanidhi, addressing at a meeting of Tamil Nadu Progressive Writers and Artists Association in Chennai on Saturday, also compared the Sanatan Dharma to coronavirus, malaria, and dengue fever and called for it to be ‘eradicated’. The row comes just days after the Opposition INDIA bloc finalised a 14-member coordination-cum-election strategy committee comprising members of various parties including the Congress and the DMK as the alliance’s highest decision-making body. The bloc held its third meeting last week in Mumbai. Let’s take a closer look: Congress split on issue The Congress seems to be facing an internal split over Udhayanidhi’s remarks. _Hindustan Time_s quoted Karti Chidambaram on Sunday as saying that a ‘mischievous spin’ had been given to the Sivaganga MP’s remarks. “Sanathana Dharma is nothing but code for a Caste Hierarchical Society. All those batting for it are hankering for the Good Ole Days! Caste is the Curse of India,” Karti added In Karnataka, Priyank Kharge, son of party chief Mallikarjun Kharge, also sprang to Udhayanidhi’s defence. News18 quoted Kharge as saying, “Any religion that does not promote equality, which does not provide equal rights, is not a religion.” NDTV further quoted Kharge as saying, “Any religion that does not give equal rights… is as good as disease…" In Madhya Pradesh, veteran Congress leader Kamal Nath said he did not agree with Udhayanidhi’s remarks.

“These may be his personal views… I am not in agreement with Mr Stalin,” Nath added.

NDTV quoted Congress’ KC Venugopal as saying that the party ‘respects everyone’s beliefs’ and that all political outfits have ‘the freedom to express their views.’ “Our view is clear… ‘Sarva Dharma Samabhava’ is the Congress ideology,” Venugopal said. BJP on attack The BJP, meanwhile, has gone on the attack. Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday lashed out at Opposition INDIA coalition, accusing them of insulting ‘Sanatan Dharma’ for vote bank and appeasement politics. Shah said DMK leaders, including the Tamil Nadu chief minister’s son, are saying that ‘Sanatan Dharma’ should be abolished. He also accused Congress leader Rahul Gandhi of calling Hindu organisations more dangerous than the Lashkar-e-Taiba. [caption id=“attachment_13066212” align=“alignnone” width=“640”] Amit Shah and several other BJP leaders have attacked the India Opposition bloc over the remarks.[/caption] BJP president JP Nadda on Sunday indirectly attacked Congress leader Rahul Gandhi saying ‘Mohabbat ki Dukan’ is spreading hate and asked that INDIA alliance whether the leaders of the Bloc is going to use the anti-Hindu strategy in the upcoming elections. Nadda also questioned whether Udayanidhi Stalin’s remarks on ‘Sanatan Dharma’ are a part of the alliance bloc. Addressing a public rally in Chitrakoot, JP Nadda said, “Stalin’s son, Udayanidhi Stalin says that ‘Sanatan Dharma’ should be abolished. He says that like dengue and malaria, ‘Sanatan Dharma’ should be abolished. They have no hesitation while making such statements. Is Udayanidhi’s statement a part of the INDIA alliance’s political strategy ?” “Are you going to use this anti-Hindu strategy in the upcoming elections? You have proved multiple times that you hate everything related to our country and your ‘Mohabbat ki Dukan is spreading hate,” he added. Former chief minister of Karnataka Basavaraj Bommai slammed Udhayanidhi Stalin over the ‘Sanatana Dharma eradication’ row and termed him as “Udhayanidhi Hitler”. “It is the mindset of a group of parties who are joining hands together to come to power at the cost of the social fabric of this country. They want to come to power at any cost. It is very clear that it’s anti-democratic and anti-humanity. Udhayanidhi Hitler is the right word for him,” Bommai said.

BJP’s Ravi Shankar Prasad called the remarks “shocking and shameful”.

He noted that the son of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin has repeated his remarks. He has been ably assisted by Congress MP Karti Chidambaram, whose father and former finance minister P Chidambaram is facing trial in a corruption case, he added. “Why are opposition leaders like Rahul Gandhi, Mallikarjun Kharge, Nitish Kumar, Mamata Banerjee silent? Are you playing with Hindu sentiments for votes? They should know that hundreds of years of Islamic rule could not exterminate Sanatan Dharma and British imperialism could not dilute it,” Prasad told reporters. British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is a declared Sanatani, he added. Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal hit out at Opposition parties and asked the Congress if the INDIA bloc had met in Mumbai to finalise its agenda against Sanatan Dharma and how to finish it off across the country. “Is this your ‘mohabbat ki dukan’ (shop to spread love),” he asked and accused Congress leader KC Venugopal of spewing venom against the religion. Another Union minister Prahlad Patel alleged that the attack on Sanatan Dharma was part of the conspiracy decided on during the opposition parties’ meeting in Mumbai. The silence of those who get themselves photographed in temples, be it Rahul Gandhi or Arvind Kejriwal, is telling, he said. BJP leader Sushil Modi on Sunday claimed that DMK leader Udhayanidhi has committed an anti-national act by suggesting that ‘Sanatana Dharma should be abolished’ and questioned the silence of prominent leaders of the INDIA alliance on this issue. “Udhayanidhi Stalin should be detained and jailed. He is spreading hatred in the community. On one side Rahul Gandhi says ‘Nafrat ke bazaar mein Mohabbat ki dukaan’ and on the other side, a major leader of their ally in Tamil Nadu is saying to eradicate ‘Sanatana Dharma’ completely. This is an Anti-national act,” he said. He further questioned the silence of the leaders in the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA). “Rahul Gandhi, Nitish Kumar, Lalu Yadav and other prominent leaders of INDIA alliance should come out and mention whether they agree with this or not. All prominent leaders of Congress are silent on this issue. It seems they (leaders of INDIA alliance) agree with Udhayanidhi’s remarks,” he said. Condemning the remarks of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin’s son Union Minister G Kishan Reddy on Sunday said that such statements should not be passed. What do experts say? That the existing contradictions and tensions within the party ahead of 2024 are coming to the fore. A piece in News18, noting the contradicting chorus in the Congress, said the episode reflects the party’s ‘political pull and push.’ “…the Congress needs the DMK in Tamil Nadu and cannot afford to antagonise it. This explains why Karti Chidambaram, without wasting any time, jumped to the defence of Stalin,” the piece stated. A piece in Financial Express noted that Nath has oft been accused of taking a ‘soft Hindutva’ stance against the BJP. [caption id=“attachment_12974342” align=“alignnone” width=“640”] Congress leader Kamal Nath has distanced himself from the remarks. File Photo.[/caption] The piece also noted Nath’s constant refrain about the BJP not being the ‘sole arbiter’ of Hindutva.

“With elections due later this year, the party has unabashedly taken to this philosophy,” the piece noted.

The News18 piece also stated that the Congress in Madhya Pradesh has been countering the BJP through mandir and religion. “That’s why, over the past one year, Nath has been conducting pujas, has built a Hanuman temple in Chindwara and even held a Mahakaal puja. It is important for him to stay away from this discourse,” the piece stated. The piece concluded that the row highlights the Congress’ helplessness ahead of the 2024 polls. “…when Ram Mandir and temple corridor are expected to be the issues, the Congress, which has been peddling soft Hindutva, cannot afford an ammunition which suits the BJP. The dilemma within the Congress is real,” the piece concluded. Udhayanidhi remains defiant Udhayanidhi, meanwhile, remained defiant. Accusing the Bharatiya Janata Party of ‘twisting’ his statement and spreading fake news, he said  he is ready to face whatever cases are filed against him. Speaking to reporters, Udhayanidhi  said," I am ready to face whatever cases they file against me. BJP is scared of the INDIA Alliance and to divert that they are saying all this.DMK’s policy is One clan, one God." Udhayanidhi said that he only criticised Sanatana Dharma adding that BJP is twisting his statement and spreading fake news on this issue. “I am saying again that I only criticised Sanatana Dharma and that Sanatana Dharma should be eradicated. I will say this continuously. Few are being childish saying I invited for genocide while others are saying that Dravidam should be abolished. Does that mean DMKians should be killed?” he said. “When PM Modi says ‘Congress Mukth Bharat’, does that mean congressmen should be killed? What is Sanatana? Sanatana means nothing should be changed and all are permanent. But the Dravida model calls for change and all should be equal. BJP twisting my statement and spreading fake news, it’s their usual job,” he added. A Supreme Court lawyer on Sunday filed a complaint with Delhi Police against Udhayanidhi Stalin, Sports Minister of the Government of Tamil Nadu and son of the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu over a controversial statement on Saturday on ‘Santana Dharma’. Complainant Vineet Jindal, a practising lawyer, has claimed that Udhayanidhi Maran in a speech made a provocative, inflammatory, derogatory, and inciting statement against Sanatan Dharam. With inputs from agencies