Tamil Nadu
'Udhayanidhi Was Soft, Sanatana Dharma Should Be Compared With Diseases Like HIV And Leprosy Which Have Social Stigma', Says DMK Leader A Raja
Swarajya Staff
Sep 07, 2023, 01:37 PM | Updated 01:46 PM IST
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Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) MP A Raja today (7 September) said that Udhayanidhi Stalin was being soft on Sanatana Dharma by comparing it with diseases like malaria and dengue, which have no social stigma, while calling for its eradication.
He said that it should have been compared to diseases like HIV/AIDS and leprosy which have social stigma.
"Udhayanidhi was soft in comparing and claiming that it should be eradicated like malaria and dengue. But these diseases don't have a social stigma. To be honest, leprosy was seen as disgusting and so was HIV. So we need to see this as a disease ridden with social plight like HIV and leprosy."
The comments come at a time when Udhayanidhi's comments have been criticised by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and leaders of the I.N.D.I.A alliance like Arvind Kejriwal, Mamata Banerjee and Dr Karan Singh and there are demands to prosecute Udhayanidhi for 'hate speech'.
Udhayanidhi had said, "I congratulate the organisers for calling the conference as 'eradicate Sanatana Dharma' instead of 'opposing Sanatana Dharma.'
"There are some things which we have to eradicate and we can't merely oppose. Mosquitoes, dengue fever, malaria, corona, all these are things which we cannot oppose, we have to eradicate them. Sanatanam is also like this.
"Eradicating and not opposing Sanatanam should be our first task.
"What is Sanatanam? The name Sanatanam has come from Sanskrit. Sanatanam is against equality and social justice. The meaning of Sanatanam is nothing but 'permanence', something which cannot be changed. Nobody can question. This is the meaning of Sanatanam."
After Udhayanidhi, DMK MP A Raja's comments on 'Sanatan Dharma' sparks row; BJP hits back! @pramodmadhav6 joins in for more #ITVideo | @PoulomiMSaha pic.twitter.com/6P8ZWZcVQt
— IndiaToday (@IndiaToday) September 7, 2023
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