'Young Kid Being Hounded Just Because...': Kamal Haasan Lends Support To Udhayanidhi On 'Sanatan Dharma' Row
'Sanatan Dharma' Row: Kamal Haasan's statement in support of Tamil Nadu Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin comes as DMK, a part of the I.N.D.I.A. bloc, has received mixed responses from their own allies.
Legendary actor and politician Kamal Haasan has thrown his support behind Tamil Nadu Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin amidst an ongoing controversy sparked by the latter's comments about 'Sanatan Dharma'. Referring to Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin's son as a "young kid", the Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM) President decried that Udhayanidhi was being "hounded" because he spoke about 'Sanatan'. The statement comes as Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), a part of the I.N.D.I.A. bloc, has received mixed responses from their own allies ranging from condemnation to support.
In a recent address in Tamil Nadu's Coimbatore, Kamal Haasan remarked, "A young kid (Udhayanidhi Stalin) is being hounded today just because he spoke about 'Sanatan'. His forefathers have spoken about 'Sanatan'. All of us got to know about the word 'Sanatan' because of Periyar. He once used to work in the temple. He was doing 'puja' in Varanasi with 'tilak' on his forehead."
"Imagine how much anger he must have had to throw away all that and work in service of the people, realizing that it’s the biggest service. He lived his entire life like that. Neither the DMK nor any other party can claim Periyar as their own. Tamil Nadu can celebrate Periyar as its own," he added, speaking about Dravidian stalwart Erode Venkatappa Ramasamy, popularly addressed by his followers as Periyar or Thanthai Periyar.
ALSO READ | 'Have To Eliminate Sanatana': TN Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin Over Guv's Remark On Social Discrimination
Udhayanidhi Stalin had, earlier this month, criticised 'Sanatan Dharma' at a gathering of the Tamil Nadu Progressive Writers and Artists Association, alleging that it perpetuates inequality and social injustice by dividing people based on caste. He argued that the very name "Sanatan" implies something eternal and unchanging, which he interpreted as a hindrance to social progress.
He pointed to the progress made by women in various fields today compared to historical practices associated with 'Sanatan Dharma'. He cited examples of social reforms introduced by the DMK, such as fare-free travel for women on buses and financial assistance for girl students.
"While Sanatan enslaved women and did not allow them to step out of their homes, they are today making achievements in sports, and many women are also financially independent. What did Sanatan do to women? It pushed women, who lost their husbands, into fire (the erstwhile practice of Sati), it tonsured the heads of widows and made them wear white saris. Child marriages too happened. What did the Dravidam (the Dravidian ideology followed by DMK regime) do? It gave fare-free travel for women in buses, gave Rs 1,000 monthly assistance to girl students for their college education. From September 15, women beneficiaries would be getting Rs 1,000 monthly assistance (basic income scheme)," he said, as quoted by PTI.
The BJP responded to Udhayanidhi Stalin's comments, targeting the opposition bloc I.N.D.I.A and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, along with Tamil Nadu's ruling party. Union Home Minister Amit Shah among other senior BJP leaders accused I.N.D.I.A parties of insulting Sanatan Dharma for the sake of vote bank politics.
BJP president J P Nadda called on people to reject the opposition grouping, which he claimed was spreading hatred and attacking the country's culture and tradition.
Meanwhile, BJP IT cell chief Amit Malviya alleged that the DMK leader had called for the "genocide of 80 per cent of the population of Bharat, who follow Sanatan Dharma." The party's other leaders labeled Udhayanidhi Stalin's remarks as hate speech, with Rajya Sabha MP Sushil Modi calling for his arrest and imprisonment.
In the midst of this heated debate, leaders from the I.N.D.I.A. bloc expressed varying degrees of discontent over Udhayanidhi's remarks. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and AAP's Raghav Chadha have expressed displeasure, while Congress MP Karti Chidambaram came out in support of the Tamil Nadu minister. The controversy continues to simmer, with divergent opinions echoing across the political landscape.
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