“I challenge Udhayanidhi Stalin to stop his mother from going to a temple,” Tamil Nadu BJP chief K Annamalai said on Sunday as he took on Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin’s son for his controversial remarks on ‘eradicating’ Sanatan Dharma.
Calling the statement “childish and mischievous”, Annamalai said Stalin Jr enjoys a position only due to his father and grandfather. “Sanatan Dharma is timeless and eternal. Mughals, East India Company and even the Christian missionaries couldn’t touch it. Who is he to eradicate it?” the BJP state chief asked.
The firebrand leader, while calling out the conference organised by the Tamil Nadu Progressive Writers Artists Association in Chennai, said the meet was organised last year too and was called the Sanatan Dharma Opposing conference. “This year, they have become stronger as they think they are in power. The temple administration minister was also on the stage which means they have to eradicate temples and people’s religious practices. This shows their anti-Hindu mindset. I challenge Udhayanidhi to stop his mother from going to temples.”
Annamalai added that Udhayanidhi was “showing bravado like Rahul Gandhi”. “Police might not take any complains as it’s their own government. But all of us are looking forward to DMK getting wiped out from the state. The current generation does not accept this. People are going to reject the DMK now.”
Asked if the statement would have a bearing on the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, the BJP leader said people do not accept such language. “Sanatan brings everyone together; that is the beauty of it. DMK is completely anti-Hindu and an appeasement-based party. Entire India has reacted to the statement. People of the country and Tamil Nadu will not accept DMK in the coming elections now.”
Meanwhile, in an attempt to clear the air around his statement, Udhayanidhi Stalin said he never used the word genocide. Speaking exclusively to CNN-News18, the Tamil Nadu minister said: “I stick to what I said. I never used the word genocide. I will face it legally.”
Earlier, as the row over his statement worsened, Stalin Jr accused BJP of ‘twisting’ his statement and trying to spread fake news. “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,” he told reporters.
He added: “When PM Modi says ‘Congress Mukt Bharat’, does that mean Congressmen should be killed? What is Sanatan? Sanatan means nothing should be changed and all are permanent. But the Dravida model calls for change and all should be equal. BJP is twisting my statement and spreading fake news, it’s their usual job.”
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