New Delhi, May 13
The Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) has criticised DMK leader Udhayanidhi Stalin over his renewed call for the “abolition” of Sanatan Dharma in the Tamil Nadu Assembly, describing the remarks as divisive and offensive to Hindu beliefs. The RSS-affiliated organisation demanded that the comments be removed from the Assembly records and questioned whether similar remarks would be made against other religions.
VHP international president Alok Kumar on Wednesday said repeated criticism of Sanatan Dharma was against democratic and constitutional principles. “Such highly objectionable and divisive remarks should be immediately removed from the Assembly records,” he said, adding that steps should be taken to prevent similar incidents in future.
The controversy follows Stalin’s speech in the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly on Tuesday, where he said “Sanatan Dharma, which divides people, must certainly be abolished”. The statement echoed remarks he made in September 2023 that had sparked political backlash and legal complaints from pro-Hindutva groups.
Kumar urged the new Tamil Nadu government to clarify whether it supported “respect for Sanatan traditions and Hindu beliefs” or backed what he described as “anti-Hindu statements”. He also pointed to the revenue generated by temples and religious institutions in Tamil Nadu, saying it was “ironic” that political groups benefiting from Sanatan traditions were speaking against them. “History bears witness that many ideologies which attempted to eradicate Sanatan have themselves disappeared, while Sanatan continues to guide society,” Kumar said.
In his Assembly speech, Stalin also objected to the order followed during the recent swearing-in ceremony of the Tamil Nadu government, alleging that “Tamil Thai Vazhthu”, the state invocation song, had been sidelined. He said the song should always be given the primary place at official events in the state.
Meanwhile, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) second-in-command Dattatreya Hosabale has also criticised DMK leader Udhayanidhi Stalin over his remarks on Sanatan Dharma, saying the tradition would continue regardless of political opposition. Speaking to PTI Videos, Hosabale compared Sanatan to a banyan tree that remains standing through generations despite the passage of time.
“Sanatan is the spirit and soul of this nation. It is not a religious practice, but a value and a worldview,” he said yesterday.
His comments came after Udhayanidhi Stalin, in his first speech as Leader of the Opposition in the Tamil Nadu Assembly, reiterated his call for the “eradication” of Sanatan, a position he has expressed previously.
Hosabale said voters had already responded to such views through elections.
“Sanatan will not go because somebody says so,” he said, describing it as “eternal” and “ever fresh”.
Using the banyan tree analogy, he said Sanatan remained ancient in its roots while continuing to renew itself with modern ideas and technology.
“We welcome, cherish and celebrate new technology such as AI,” he added.
Hosabale also suggested that critics of Sanatan may misunderstand it as being linked only to caste hierarchy.
