Chennai: In a powerful and widely applauded intervention, veteran actor-director Arjun Sarja has come out strongly in defence of Sanatan Dharma, describing it as a “way of life” that cannot be erased, days after DMK leader Udhayanidhi Stalin reiterated his call to eradicate it in the Tamil Nadu Assembly.
Speaking to the media after attending a special show of his latest film Blast, which released on May 28 and opened to positive reviews, Arjun addressed the raging controversy without directly naming Udhayanidhi Stalin. “Sanatan Dharma is not a religion. It is a way of life.
It teaches various lessons, like why it is wrong to steal and why we should not wish for another person’s possessions. Sanatan Dharma also teaches us that just as parents took good care of us as children, we must take care of them when they get old. If Sanatan Dharma should not exist, you must chase your parents away from your house. Is that possible?”
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He further emphasised:“Can we send away our parents? Is it possible? We should treat them as God. Sanatan Dharma can never be rejected or erased.” Arjun, a well-known devotee of Lord Hanuman who has built a prominent Hanuman temple in Gerugambakkam, Chennai, said he was speaking from a place of deep understanding of Sanatan values.
The actor’s remarks have gone viral on social media, with many hailing it as a bold and logical rebuttal to repeated attacks on Sanatan Dharma by sections of the DMK leadership.In the same interaction, Arjun also expressed strong confidence in his close friend, actor-turned-politician Joseph Vijay, who recently assumed office as Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu.
“My friend (Joseph Vijay) has become Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu. He has just assumed his responsibilities. I am cent percent confident that he would do good for the people and the state. Let us give time to him.”
Arjun Sarja, known for his straightforward views and deep faith in Hinduism, has once again positioned himself as a vocal voice from Tamil cinema’s veteran cadre amid the ongoing cultural and ideological debate in the state.The comments come at a sensitive time in Tamil Nadu politics, following Udhayanidhi Stalin’s fresh remarks in the Assembly calling for the eradication of Sanatan Dharma.
What Udhayanidhi Stalin said about Sanatana Dharma
Udayanidhi Stalin’s remarks come amid a political controversy that has been simmering in Tamil Nadu for weeks. On May 13, DMK leader and Leader of Opposition in Tamil Nadu assembly, Udhayanidhi Stalin once again reiterated his long-standing position on Sanatan Dharma while speaking in the Tamil Nadu Assembly. “Sanathanam, which separated people, should be eradicated,” he said, reigniting a debate that has repeatedly sparked political and public reactions.
The issue is not new. Udhayanidhi had earlier courted controversy when he compared Sanatan Dharma to diseases such as dengue and malaria, remarks that triggered widespread outrage and led to multiple legal cases being filed against him across the country. By raising the subject again in the Assembly, he signalled that he remains firmly committed to his earlier position.
What also drew attention was the silence of Chief Minister Vijay, who was present in the House when the comments were made but chose not to publicly respond to the controversy.
