Raja’s remark adds to Sanatan Dharma controversy
Raja had also challenged Union home minister Amit Shah, who led the attack against sports minister Udhayanaidhi, to an open debate on Sanatana Dharma with him
Coming in support of Udhayanidhi Stalin’s remarks, Lok Sabha MP and DMK’s deputy general secretary A Raja on Thursday intensified the controversy over Sanatan Dharma by comparing it to diseases, such as HIV and leprosy, prompting the BJP to accuse INDIA alliance leaders of “demeaning Hindus”.
“After Udhayanidhi Stalin, it is now DMK’s A Raja, who denigrates Sanatan Dharma… This is nothing but unadulterated hate speech, targeting 80% of Bharat’s population, who follow Sanatana Dharma,” posted BJP’s IT wing head Amit Malviya on X (formerly Twitter). “This is the true character of Congress-led INDIA, who think demeaning Hindus is the only way to win elections. Was this decided in the Mumbai meet?”
While protesting against the central government’s Vishwakarma Yojana in Chennai, organised by the Dravida Kazhagam (DK), the ideological parent of the Dravidian parties of Tamil Nadu, Raja had said that Udhyanaidhi’s speech on ‘Sanatana Dharma’ was relatively mild.
“Sanatana and Vishwakarma schemes are not different. Udhayanidhi gently said that Sanatana Dharma should be eliminated like malaria, dengue and corona (Covid-19),” Raja said on Wednesday. “But these diseases don’t have a social stigma. To be honest, leprosy was seen as disgusting and so was HIV. So, we need to see this as diseases ridden with social plights like HIV and leprosy.”
Raja had also challenged Union home minister Amit Shah, who led the attack against sports minister Udhayanaidhi, to an open debate on Sanatana Dharma with him.