Hyderabad, May 13 Former Tamil Nadu Deputy Chief Minister, Udhayanidhi Stalin, on Wednesday reiterated his remarks calling for the "eradication” of Sanatan Dharma in the Assembly, prompting sharp criticism from BJP Telangana President N. Ramachandra Rao, who said the DMK leader would "definitely face the heat of the people."
The controversy erupted during Udhayanidhi’s address as the Leader of Opposition in the Assembly, where he stated that the Opposition “will not permit” any attempt to sideline “Tamil Thai Vazhthu,” the Tamil invocation song.
“Sanatan Dharma, which divides people, must certainly be abolished,” Udhayanidhi said while raising concerns over the recent swearing-in ceremony of the new government. He alleged that the state anthem had been pushed to the third position in the order of events instead of being accorded its traditional priority.
Reacting to it, N. Ramachandra Rao told IANS, “Udhayanidhi Stalin has once again stated that Sanatan Dharma should be abolished. Even after losing the elections, the DMK has not learned its lessons. They continue to maintain an anti-Hindu and anti-Sanatana stance."
He further said that Sanatan Dharma and Hindutva are respected across the country, including in Tamil Nadu.
“Tamil Nadu has one of the highest numbers of temples, and many of them are well-maintained. His statement is an insult to the entire Hindu community, whether they are from Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Delhi, or Kashmir. Sooner or later, he will definitely face the anger of the people,” Rao said.
“He has to face the consequences. The DMK has already suffered setbacks in the elections, and now the entire country is watching how they are behaving,” he added.
Meanwhile, Udhayanidhi repeated his controversial remarks in the presence of newly sworn-in Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C. Vijay during the Assembly proceedings. However, the Chief Minister did not comment on the controversial issue in public.
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