CHENNAI: Even before the row over Sanatana Dharma sparked by Tamil Nadu sports minister Udhayanidhi Stalin could die down, another DMK leader, A Raja, stoked the controversy further equating Sanatana Dharma with HIV and leprosy.
Speaking at a protest meeting against Vishwakarma Yojana organised by Dravidar Kazhagam in Chennai on Wednesday, Raja said Udhayanidhi was “gentle when he said Sanatana Dharma needs to be eradicated like malaria, dengue and corona.” Raja said there was no social stigma attached to malaria and dengue.
“There is neither a sense of disgust associated with malaria and dengue nor were they considered a social disgrace. What is looked upon with disgust was leprosy in the past and HIV in recent times. As far as we are concerned, it (Sanatana Dharma) should be looked upon as a disease which is a social disgrace like HIV and leprosy,’’ he said.
Raja took on Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his comments supporting Sanatana Dharma. “If he had followed Sanatana Dharma, he shouldn’t have gone abroad because a ‘good’ Hindu should not cross the seas,’’ Raja said.
Raja once again reiterated his challenge to Modi and home minister Amit Shah for a debate on Sanatana Dharma and varnashrama. “I say this with the permission of my leader (M K Stalin). You assemble one crore people in Delhi. Bring your sankaracharyas. Come there for the debate with everything you have — bow, arrow and sickle. I will come there with books written by Ambedkar and Periyar. Let’s debate,’’ he said.
VCK founder Thol Thirumavalavan, Tamil Nadu Congress Committee president K S Alagiri, MDMK chief Vaiko and CPM and CPI leaders were present on the stage. The leaders hit out at the BJP for supporting Sanatana Dharma and promoting varnashrama’ through Vishwakarma Yojana.
Speaking at a protest meeting against Vishwakarma Yojana organised by Dravidar Kazhagam in Chennai on Wednesday, Raja said Udhayanidhi was “gentle when he said Sanatana Dharma needs to be eradicated like malaria, dengue and corona.” Raja said there was no social stigma attached to malaria and dengue.
“There is neither a sense of disgust associated with malaria and dengue nor were they considered a social disgrace. What is looked upon with disgust was leprosy in the past and HIV in recent times. As far as we are concerned, it (Sanatana Dharma) should be looked upon as a disease which is a social disgrace like HIV and leprosy,’’ he said.
Raja took on Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his comments supporting Sanatana Dharma. “If he had followed Sanatana Dharma, he shouldn’t have gone abroad because a ‘good’ Hindu should not cross the seas,’’ Raja said.
Raja once again reiterated his challenge to Modi and home minister Amit Shah for a debate on Sanatana Dharma and varnashrama. “I say this with the permission of my leader (M K Stalin). You assemble one crore people in Delhi. Bring your sankaracharyas. Come there for the debate with everything you have — bow, arrow and sickle. I will come there with books written by Ambedkar and Periyar. Let’s debate,’’ he said.
VCK founder Thol Thirumavalavan, Tamil Nadu Congress Committee president K S Alagiri, MDMK chief Vaiko and CPM and CPI leaders were present on the stage. The leaders hit out at the BJP for supporting Sanatana Dharma and promoting varnashrama’ through Vishwakarma Yojana.