'Will Not Change My Stand': Udhayanidhi Doubles Down On His Sanatan Dharma Remark

In September, Udhayanidhi Stalin likened ‘Sanatan Dharma’ with “mosquitoes, dengue, malaria and coronavirus” and said that all of those should be eradicated.

Citing the leaders BR Ambedkar and Periyar EV Ramasamy, Udhayanidhi said, his remark on Sanatan Dharma was not something that was not spoken before by such leaders. ( Image Source :PTI )

Tamil Nadu Youth Affairs Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin reiterated his stand on 'Sanatan Dharma', which sparked a nationwide controversy in September, while answering a question on observation of Madras High Court on Monday. The DMK leader said that there was no wrong with the statement he made in September and that he would legally face the issue. Earlier, Udhayanidhi likened ‘Sanatan Dharma’ with “mosquitoes, dengue, malaria and coronavirus” and said that all of those should be eradicated.

While hearing a petition related to the row, the court on Monday observed that it was dereliction of duty on the part of police as they did not act against Udhayanidhi Stalin and Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department Minister P K Sekarbabu who had participated in a 'Sanatan Dharma eradication' conference on September 2.

The court made the observation while hearing a petition filed by a Chennai resident Magesh Karthikeyan that sought to direct the police to provide permission for conducting a "Conference for eradicating Dravidian ideology and coordinating Tamils."

Talking to reporters, Udhayanidhi as per PTI said, "There was nothing wrong in what I had spoken. We will face the matter legally. I will not change my stand. I have only talked about my ideology." 

Citing the leaders BR Ambedkar and Periyar EV Ramasamy, Udhayanidhi said, his remark on Sanatan Dharma was not something that was not spoken before by such leaders.

Udhayanidhi addressed the reporters after visiting VCK chief Thol Thirumavalavan regarding DMK's anti-NEET campaign. 

Earlier, Udhayanidhi Stalin said, “There are some things which we have to eradicate and can’t merely oppose. Mosquitoes, dengue, fever, malaria and coronavirus, all these are things that we cannot oppose, we have to eradicate them. Sanatanam (Sanatan Dharma) is like this.”