Pawan Kalyan Slams ‘Fake Secularism’, Urges Respect For Hindu Beliefs At Madurai Murugan Meet

Andhra Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan on Sunday (22 June) strongly criticised “fake secularists” for targeting Hinduism in the name of freedom of expression, calling for equal respect for all religions, reported Telangana Today.

Addressing the ‘Muruga Bhakthargal Maanadu’ in Madurai, the Jana Sena Party leader said, “I am not a fanatic Hindu, but a committed Hindu. I respect Christianity, Islam. My plea is don’t disrespect my faith.”

The event, organised by the Hindu Munnani, saw participation from several Hindu organisations and political leaders, including BJP’s K Annamalai and AIADMK’s R B Udayakumar and Sellur Raju.

Kalyan, speaking mostly in Tamil, accused atheists of misusing secularism to selectively oppose Hinduism.

“Secularism means no discrimination against any religion, but for them, secularism means no discrimination against any religion except Hinduism,” he said.

He condemned the trend of mocking Hindu beliefs under the guise of artistic freedom, referring to past controversies around the hymn ‘Kanda Sashti Kavacham’.

“They have made fun of my faith, culture… who are they to malign other’s faith, question Murugan?” he asked.

Criticising those questioning the event’s venue, Kalyan said such attitudes risk targeting deities like Shiva and Amman next.

“You may not respect my faith, but don’t disrespect it,” he warned, urging people not to mistake Hindu patience for weakness.

Kalyan stressed that Lord Murugan, though considered a Tamil deity, is revered across India under different names. “Change is bound to happen,” he concluded, calling for unity in protecting dharma.

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