Amid the ongoing controversy surrounding DMK leader Udhayanidhi Stalin’s recent remarks about Sanatan Dharma, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge has underlined the importance of keeping religion and politics separate. His comments came during a political debate on Udhayanidhi Stalin’s controversial statements.
“I have not come here to speak about anyone’s religion. I have come to participate in the program (Bharose ka Sammelan) meant for the poor,” Kharge conveyed to media representatives after attending the Chhattisgarh government’s ‘Bharose ka Sammelan’ event in Thekwa, Rajnandgaon district, as reported by PTI.
Mallikarjun Kharge further emphasized, “Religion and politics are different things, and there is no need to mix them. I don’t want to debate on it.”
The context for these remarks emerged when senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and former Chhattisgarh minister Rajesh Munat called on Kharge to clarify whether the Congress supported Udhayanidhi Stalin’s remarks regarding Sanatan Dharma.
It’s worth noting that the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) and the Congress are both part of the opposition bloc known as the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA).
The controversy began when Tamil Nadu Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin made statements comparing Sanatan Dharma to diseases like dengue and malaria, advocating for its eradication. Despite facing backlash, he has not retracted or apologized for his remarks. However, he later clarified that his criticism was directed at the caste-based societal structure associated with Sanatan Dharma, rather than Hinduism as a whole.
Adding to the ongoing Sanatan Dharma row, DMK’s A Raja referred to it as a “social disgrace” and compared it to diseases like HIV and leprosy. He stated, “I am prepared to give answers for all cabinet ministers if the Prime Minister convenes the meeting and lets them permit me. I will explain which one is ‘Sanatana Dharma,’ and then you decide…”
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has demanded an apology from DMK leaders and claimed that an “anti-Sanatan” agenda was discussed during a meeting of the opposition bloc held in Mumbai earlier this month.
