Just a couple of days after Tamil Nadu Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin stroked controversy by equating Sanatan Dharma with diseases, the son of Congress president and Karnataka Minister Priyank Kharge has come out in support of Stalin. Responding to the controversy, Congress leader Kharge defended his alliance partner from DMK.
Speaking to the media personnel, the Congress leader said, “Any religion that does not promote equality or does not ensure you have the dignity of being human is not religion, according to me. Any religion that does not give equal rights or does not treat you like humans is as good as disease.”
#WATCH | Bengaluru, Karnataka: On Tamil Nadu Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin's 'Sanatana Dharma should be eradicated' remark, Karnataka Minister Priyank Kharge says, "Any religion that does not promote equality or does not ensure you have the dignity of being human is not religion,… pic.twitter.com/lQcpB5s6aY
— ANI (@ANI) September 4, 2023
Earlier in the day, the Congress party came out in support of their alliance partner DMK. Addressing a press briefing, Congress General Secretary KC Venugopal said that Congress believes in the ideology of “Sarva Dharma Samabhava”. However, he added that “every political party has the freedom to tell their views” and Congress party respects everybody’s beliefs.
#WATCH | On DMK leader Udhayanidhi Stalin's 'Sanatana dharma' remark, Congress General Secretary KC Venugopal says, "Our view is clear; 'Sarva Dharma Samabhava' is the Congress' ideology. Every political party has the freedom to tell their views….We are respecting everybody's… pic.twitter.com/86Mg265PQT
— ANI (@ANI) September 4, 2023
Notably, the controversy erupted when DMK youth wing chief and Tamil Nadu Sports Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin equated Sanatan Dharma with diseases and called out for its complete eradication. Addressing the ‘Eradicate Sanatan Conference’, the DMK Minister said, “Mosquitoes, dengue, flu, malaria, corona – we should not oppose these things. They’ve to be eradicated completely. The same is the case with Sanatan.”
Following his controversial remarks comparing Sanatan Dharma to diseases and calling for its eradication, Udhayanidhi Stalin was called out for giving a call for the ‘genocide’ of followers of Sanatan Dharma. When the controversy escalated, DMK leader Udhayanidhi Stalin said that he would stand by every word he said in connection with Sanatan Dharma and further called for uprooting it completely.
I never called for the genocide of people who are following Sanatan Dharma. Sanatan Dharma is a principle that divides people in the name of caste and religion. Uprooting Sanatan Dharma is upholding humanity and human equality.
— Udhay (@Udhaystalin) September 2, 2023
I stand firmly by every word I have spoken. I spoke… https://t.co/Q31uVNdZVb
Meanwhile, the DMK leader garnered support from Congress leader Karti Chidambaram who claimed that Sanatan Dharma is nothing but a code for ‘caste hierarchical society’.
In a post, he said, “Sanatan Dharma is nothing but code for a Caste Hierarchical Society. All those batting for it are hankering for the Good Ole Days! Caste is the Curse of India.”
