Udhayanidhi’s rant

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin’s son and DMK leader Udhayanidhi Stalin has stirred up a hornet’s nest by likening Sanatan Dharma to diseases such as coronavirus, malaria and dengue and declaring that it should be eradicated. His deplorable statement came a day after a meeting of the INDIA bloc of Opposition parties concluded in Mumbai. Terming it as ‘hate speech’, the BJP has alleged that ‘complete eradication’ of Hindu dharma is the primary agenda of the newly formed alliance. Unfazed by the criticism, Udhayanidhi has stated that he has expressed the sentiments of the oppressed people and is prepared to face the consequences.

Udhayanidhi has put both his party and the Opposition coalition in a tight spot with his outburst. Had he targeted Hindutva, which is a political project, the DMK leader would have been on a firm footing. Instead, he chose to take potshots at Sanatan Dharma, which is described both as an ancient religio-philosophical system and the ‘eternal natural way’. The term is practically synonymous with the Hindu religion and way of life. It won’t be off the mark to infer that Udhayanidhi has tried to strike at the heart of Hinduism by holding Sanatan Dharma responsible for various social evils.

The inflammatory comment has given ample fodder to the BJP to tear into the Opposition, barely three months before the Assembly elections in five states. With the consecration ceremony of the Ram Lalla idol scheduled to take place on the premises of the under-construction Ram temple in Ayodhya in January next year, the ruling party will leave no stone unturned to consolidate its Hindu vote bank in the run-up to the 2024 General Election. It will be a challenge for the Opposition to tackle the tricky situation, considering that the DMK is a key southern constituent of the anti-BJP alliance.