In a viral video clip circulating on social media, K Ponmudi, the Higher Education minister in the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) Government, can be heard asserting that the formation of the I.N.D.I.A alliance was primarily aimed at opposing Sanatana Dharma.“Through the media and the press, our principle of opposing Sanatana Dharma… I.N.D.I.A… our friends here have already mentioned… This I.N.D.I.A is an alliance formed against Sanatana Dharma. We may have our disagreements. But no one has any difference of opinion on opposing Sanatana Dharma. Everyone in this alliance wants to bring out equality, protect minorities, equality between men and women. This is the agenda of the 26 parties that have formed the I.N.D.I.A alliance. For this to happen, we need political power.”, Ponmudi said.
"I.N.D.I.A alliance is formed to fight against the principles of Santana Dharma, we may have our differences among us but the 26 parties in the alliance are united in the fight against Santana Dharma but we need political power for that"
DMK Minister Ponmudi. pic.twitter.com/tKQTTv1VsZ— Vishwatma 🇮🇳 ( மோடியின் குடும்பம் ) (@HLKodo) September 11, 2023
A Sangh parivar functionary Sivaraman said “ the DMK took this issue to emotionally keep its detractors on tenterhook so that they would not talk about NEET, failure to implement poll promises , hike in EB , registration charges, ED raids and arrest Senthi Balaji, and other senior ministers, the HC taking up suo moto of discharges its minister from corruption cases, raising prices of essential commodities. Mostly, they fear imminent arrest of members of DMK’s first family by the central agencies on corruption, money launders charges. The tirade against Sanatana and BJP would be shown cause for such eventualities. It is an preemptive action to blame the BJP”.
The timing of video surfaced is important. Statements from several I.N.D.I.A alliance members, including the Trinamool Congress, the Shiv Sena (UBT), and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), some Congress leaders who expressed their disagreement with Udhayanidhi’s remarks.
Tamil Nadu BJP President K Annamalai on September 11, held a dharna demanding the immediate resignation of PK Sekar Babu as state Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR&CE) Minister. Annamalai was leading the party’s protest against Babu, objecting to his participation in the recent anti-Sanatan Dharma conference in Chennai last week. After addressing a protest he led a procession towards the HR&CE office at Nungambakkam. Annamalai and his followers squatted on the road suddenly.
Taking exception to Sekar Babu’s participation in the recent anti-Sanatan meeting, he said Dravidar Kazhagam leader K Veeramani, in the same conference, had equated Sanatan Dharma to Hinduism. Annamalai said “Let Sekar Babu resign as Minister and do anything as a DMK worker. Veeramani said in the meeting Sanatan is equal to Hinduism. The HR and CE department is against the welfare of Hindus. Minister Sekar Babu’s silence at the conference titled annihilation of Sanatana Dharam where sports minister Udhaya Nidhi Stalin equating it with Dengu, Malaria and covid is highly condemnable”.
He said “The Tamil Nadu Government should no longer control Hindu temples. With such a minister in charge of HR and CE , does Tamil Nadu need a department to administer temples?”. BJP temple protection wing organised state wide protests seeking Sekar Babu of removal from the TN cabinet or his resignation. In all places, hundreds of thousands of party cadres, devotees and sangh parivar took part. Police arrested them all barring women and released them in the night after filing cases against them.
Giving a new meaning to Sana tana Dharma, Sekar baby after releasing a book in Chennai a couple day of back, told media persons “,Sanata dharama is different and Hinduism. We are against the rules of the Sana tana dharama but that does not mean that we are against people who have accepted and followed it. As CM M K Stalin and minister for youth welfare and sports minister Udhyaa Nidhi Stalin have issued a detailed explanatory statements . we donot have to waste time discussing it again.
Meanwhile, the indefatigable Udhaya Nidhi Stalin posted image of Mosquito repellent coil in his social media to show as a reply to BJP’s protest. It is assert that he is firm on his stand of annihilation of Sana tana dharama. It is a clear message that he would not be cowed down by any threats and would continue his tirade against Sanatan Dharma.
Udhaya Nidhi Stalin told presspersons here a few day ago “The DMK party itself was started for this purpose (eradicating Sanatana Dharma). We’re not worried about the government. We will stand for our principles.I have not spoken anything which Periyar, Ambedkar and Anna have not spoken. “All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam. Their party name has Anna’s name. Nobody has spoken about ‘opposing’ Sanatana like Anna has. He has spoken a lot. He spoken a lot against Sanatana Dharma. What is their (AIADMK) opinion on this? That is all I want to know. When you meet the AIADMK leaders, ask them this question.”
