News Brief
Tamil Nadu Governor R N Ravi.
Tamil Nadu Governor R N Ravi has said that Lord Ram is the unifying factor of India, and that the Sanatana Dharma, whether one believes in it or not, is all inclusive.
Recalling the sharp criticism of Sanatana Dharma, he said, without mentioning any name, that a false narrative was being set that Lord Ram was a North Indian God.
"A narrative started building up that Lord Ram is a North Indian god, he is not here and that people in Tamil Nadu don't know Ram," Ravi said.
"Shri Ram is everywhere. There is hardly a place in Tamil Nadu where we don't have his footprints and he lives in the hearts and minds of every person including people from Tamil Nadu," he said, while speaking at a function held at the Raj Bhavan to mark the release of the book: "Sri Rama in Tamilagam: An Inseparable Bond".
"He [Lord Ram] is the glue that unites Bharat and shapes its culture and philosophy, including the world view of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam," the Governor added.
"Young people have been deprived of our cultural and spiritual heritage. It's a kind of fabricated social engineering has been going on to create a different identity by doing cultural genocide. Attempts were being made to create like we have nothing to do with the rest of the country and the past has to be erased," he said.
Referring to controversial comments on Sanatan Dharma by Tamil Nadu Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin, Ravi said, "People started attacking Sanatana Dharma, calling it a virus, dengue and all sorts of things. But something happened, and now there’s no more talk about it".
"Sanatana Dharma talks about all inclusiveness, even if you don’t believe in it," Ravi added.