The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) stepped up its criticism on the opposition on Monday in response to remarks made by DMK leader Udhayanidhi Stalin about Sanatan Dharma. The BJP asked the Congress whether the INDIA bloc had gathered in Mumbai to discuss the religion and emphasised that they shouldn't play on Hindu sentiments.
What he has said is shocking and shameful, former Union minister and BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad said, noting 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 said.
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.
Arjun Ram Meghwal, the law minister, criticised the opposition parties and questioned the Congress about a meeting the INDIA group had in Mumbai to deliberate plans to combat Sanatan Dharma and how to do it throughout the nation. He questioned, Is this yourmohabbat ki dukan (shop to spread love), and charged Congressman K C Venugopal with spreading animosity towards the faith.
Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan targeted the INDIA bloc and said the leaders of the ghamandia gathbandhan (arrogant alliance) seem to be competing with each other to abuse Indian civilisation, its core belief and the Hindu dharma. He said that the INDIA alliance could not decide its convenor or its leader in their recent meeting, but "formulated a policy to show Sanatan in a bad light and abuse Hindutva.
Pradhan questioned the silence of NCP supremo Sharad Pawar, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and leaders of the opposition INDIA bloc over Udhayanidhi's remarks, accusing them of practising appeasement politics for votes.