DMK leader and Leader of the Opposition (LoP) Udhayanidhi Stalin on Tuesday reiterated his stand against Sanatana Dharma in the Tamil Nadu Assembly, asserting that it “must certainly be abolished” as it “divides the people.”
Delivering his maiden speech as LoP, Udhayanidhi repeated remarks similar to those he made in September 2023, which had sparked nationwide outrage and triggered multiple court cases filed by pro-Hindu organisations.
“Sanatana Dharma, which divides the people, must certainly be abolished,” he said in the House.
The DMK leader also raised objections over the alleged sidelining of “Tamil Thai Vazhthu,” the Tamil invocation song, during the recent swearing-in ceremony of the new government.
Referring to the sequence of events at the ceremony, he said the state anthem had been moved to the third position instead of receiving its customary priority.
"Such an incident, which happened during your government's swearing-in ceremony, was a mistake and you should not permit it to happen again in this Assembly. We will not permit it,” he said.
Udhayanidhi stressed that “Tamil Thai Vazhthu” must always be accorded primacy at all government and public events in Tamil Nadu.
“I request this government to ensure that this is never compromised. We must be very vigilant in protecting our rights and traditions,” he added.
He claimed the change in protocol had caused “anger and shock” among the people of the state and recalled how the previous DMK government had resisted attempts by Governor R N Ravi to alter established conventions in 2023.
Outlining the role of the opposition, Udhayanidhi invoked DMK founder C N Annadurai, describing the opposition as the “brakes of a vehicle” or the “reins of a bull” needed to steer the government in the public interest.
Despite political differences, he said the opposition intended to function constructively rather than merely confront the ruling dispensation.
He pointed out that the opposition benches now held numbers nearly equal to the treasury benches and welcomed the increased presence of first-time MLAs and women legislators in the Assembly.
Injecting a lighter moment into the proceedings, Udhayanidhi noted that he, Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay, and Speaker JCD Prabhakar were all alumni of Loyola College, adding jokingly that the DMK remained the “senior batch” politically.
Reaffirming commitment to the Dravidian model of governance, he said the opposition would closely monitor the government to ensure the principle of “everything for everyone” was upheld.
He also urged the Speaker to remain neutral and ensure the opposition’s voice continued to reflect the concerns of the people inside the Assembly.
(With inputs from PTI)
