'Eradicate Sanatana Dharma' Remark: After Hindus, Muslim Clerics In UP Join Calls For Udhayanidhi Stalin's Apology

Muslim clerics in Uttar Pradesh are calling on Udhayanidhi Stalin to apologise for his remarks about "one of the oldest religions" in the world, as they say he has no right to hurt the sentiments of Sanatana Dharma followers.

They also want the anti-BJP INDIA bloc to clarify their stance on the DMK leader's comments, accusing him of attempting to divide India along religious lines.

Maulana Habib Haider, a senior Shia cleric and general secretary of the Shia Sunni Ulema Front, stated, "It’s a derogatory remark and Udhayanidhi Stalin should apologise for making such remarks against one of the oldest religions of the world. Nobody has the right to hurt people’s sentiments. Also, the anti-BJP front INDIA must clarify its stand on the Sanatana Dharma," as reported by News18.

Shahbuddin Rizvi, the president of All India Muslim Jamaat Maulana and a follower of the Barelvi school of thought, asserts that Udhayanidhi has no right to target any religion.

He believes that such statements only serve to divide people based on religion, whereas religions should unite people and not divide them on the basis of caste.

Abu Zafar Nomani, a Sunni cleric representing the Deobandi school of thought, echoes the sentiments expressed by others. He warns that making anti-religion remarks can lead to anarchy and pose a threat to law and order.

During an event in Tamil Nadu, Udhayanidhi Stalin made remarks comparing Sanatana Dharma to diseases like dengue and malaria. His comments received backlash from political parties, with the BJP urging the Congress to condemn his remarks.

At a meeting of the Tamil Nadu Progressive Writers and Artists Association in Chennai, the DMK leader, Udhayanidhi Stalin, equated Sanatana Dharma with coronavirus, malaria, and dengue. He expressed that such beliefs should not be opposed but eradicated.

Following the swift backlash, Stalin took to X (formerly Twitter) to reiterate his stance and wrote, "I never called for the genocide of people who are following Sanatan Dharma. Sanatan Dharma is a principle that divides people in the name of caste and religion. Uprooting Sanatan Dharma is upholding humanity and human equality."