Tamil Nadu Minister SS Sivasankar has ignited a political firestorm by claiming that there is no historical evidence of Lord Ram's existence. His remarks have drawn sharp criticism from Tamil Nadu BJP president K Annamalai, who questioned the DMK's "obsession with Lord Ram."
In a recent speech, Sivasankar emphasised the importance of celebrating the legacy of the great king Rajendra Cholan. "We should celebrate the legacy of the great king Rajendra Cholan every year. If we fail to celebrate him, we will be compelled to celebrate people who are irrelevant to us," he said.
Sivasankar also disputed the historical authenticity of Lord Ram, stating, "Lord Ram is an avatar from 3000 years ago. No, it is not correct; there is no history. To remind us of Rajendra Cholan's legacy, there are tall temples, ponds constructed by him, inscriptions about him, and sculptures replicating him. Based on this evidence, we are celebrating him. There is no evidence that Lord Ram existed."
BJP Criticises Sivasankar's Comment
Reacting to Sivasankar's comments, Annamalai expressed incredulity at what he described as the DMK's sudden fascination with Lord Ram. "DMK's sudden obsession with Bhagwan Shri Ram is truly a sight to behold—who would've thought?" he remarked.
Annamalai pointed out the conflicting statements from DMK leaders, highlighting that just last week, DMK's Law Minister Thiru Raghupathy had praised Lord Ram as a champion of social justice and equality. "Fast forward to today, and we have the scam-tainted DMK Transport Minister, Thiru Shiva Shankar, boldly asserting that Lord Ram never existed, claiming it's all a ploy to erase the Cholan history," Annamalai said.
He also criticised the DMK's historical stance on cultural matters, referencing their opposition to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's installation of the Chola Dynasty Sengol in the new Parliament Complex. "Isn't it fascinating how quickly DMK leaders' memories fade? Weren't they the same folks who opposed our Hon PM Thiru @narendramodi avl for installing the Chola Dynasty Sengol in the new Parliament Complex? It's almost comical that the DMK, a party that seems to think Tamil Nadu's history started in 1967, has suddenly discovered a love for the nation's rich culture and history," Annamalai stated.
Annamalai concluded by suggesting that DMK Ministers Raghupathy and Sivasankar should debate and reach a consensus on their views regarding Lord Ram. "Perhaps it's time for DMK Ministers Thiru Raghupathy and Thiru Shiva Shankar to sit down, debate, and reach a consensus on Lord Ram. We're confident that Thiru Shiva Shankar could learn a thing or two about Bhagwan Shri Ram from his colleague," he said.