CHENNAI: DMK leaders in Tamil Nadu are confident that Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin’s comments on ‘Sanatana Dharma’ will not have a major impact on INDIA’s political landscape. They believe the BJP’s attempts to use this issue as a weapon in the Lok Sabha elections will prove unsuccessful, like its earlier attempts to tarnish the image of the DMK.
Despite aggressive rhetoric from senior BJP leaders who branded the INDIA alliance as ‘anti-Hindu,’ DMK leaders believe that the saffron party will fail in its attempt yet again.
DMK’s organising secretary RS Bharathi said, “There has been no pressure from any of our alliance partners to change our stance on this matter. DMK has a long-standing history of opposing the influence of Sanatana Dharma and its negative impact on marginalised communities. Knowing our ideology very well, Tamil Nadu people voted us to power six times.”
DMK’s alliance partners in Tamil Nadu, including national parties like the Congress (TNCC), CPI, CPM and regional parties like VCK and MDMK, have also supported Udhayanidhi and blamed the BJP for manipulating his speech for political gains.
Pudukkottai Rajya Sabha MP (DMK) MM Abdullah said on Tuesday, “We have not created any new controversy, whatever we have spoken now are things we have been speaking for the past 100 years.”
Another DMK leader said people of Tamil Nadu are familiar with the DMK’s ideology owing to campaigns conducted by Dravidian movements. “Udhayanidhi’s remarks will now spark a debate on the issue in northern states, leading to increased awareness among the majority of Hindus. Such debates will allow people in the northern states to compare the high standards of living in Tamil Nadu, which opposes Sanatana Dharma, with theirs and come to a better understanding. Migrant workers will also share their experiences of witnessing development in Tamil Nadu with people in their home state, which will ultimately lead to clear thoughts among people,” he said.
Talking to TNIE, political observer Raveenthran Duraisamy said, “Udhayanidhi’s comments will surely have an impact on the INDIA alliance as the BJP will blow it up while undertaking pro-Hindi, pro-Sanskrit and pro-Sanatana Dharma campaign in northern states.”
However, veteran journalist T Koodalarsan said, “On Tuesday afternoon, the political debate changed to Bharat vs. India. No political party can drag non-political issues for some months since the election is at least eight months away.
The BJP’s rhetoric clearly shows the party is scared of the Indian alliance. During the Karnataka election campaign, Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged the voters to shout ‘Jai Bajrangbali’ while voting and punish the Congress which promised to ban the Bajrang Dal. But, his request had no impact on people. BJP’s efforts to polarise voters in Himachal and Punjab also failed.”
(With inputs from Tiruchy)