The INDIA bloc seems to be divided on its stance on Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin's minister son Udhayanidhi Stalin's remarks about “eradicating Sanatan Dharma” as BJP top brass and Hindu outfits intensify their attack on the opposition alliance.
BJP had asked on Monday if the INDIA bloc had met in Mumbai to target Sanatan Dharma. The opposition parties remain divided and there was a difference in opinion among Congress leaders too. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh slammed Congress, wondering why Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and Ashok Gehlot are "silent" on the issue. BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad also slammed Rahul, Nitish Kumar and Tejashwi Yadav for keeping mum on the issue.
While Congress general secretary K.C. Venugopal said the party's ideology is Sarvadharma Samabhava (equal respect to all religions) and it respects everyone's beliefs, Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge's Karnataka minister son Priyank Kharge said any religion that does not give equal rights is not a religion and "is as good as a disease". Karan Singh, another Congress leader, had an entirely different viewpoint and said DML leader's “preposterous” remarks were “most unfortunate and totally unacceptable”.
The Trinamool Congress condemned Udhayanidhi's remarks that Sanatan Dharma should be eradicated like coronavirus, malaria and dengue, with the party chief and West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee saying, “I have great regard for the people of Tamil Nadu. But my humble request to them, every religion has its separate sentiments. India is a secular country, it is a democratic country and at the same time, unity in diversity is our origin. So, I respect Sanatan Dharma. We go to temples, mosques, churches everywhere. We should not be involved in any matter which may hurt any section," Banerjee said.
Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Priyanka Chaturvedi slammed BJP's “sick hypocrisy” for expressing "fake concern" over the religion while “they are brutally lathi charging sanatanis who are fighting for their rights in Maharashtra.”
She tweeted, "Sanatanis have long withstood attacks by invaders to end their identity yet they have not just survived but thrived. The country's bedrock, which is linked to Sanatan Dharm, has been inclusiveness of all faiths and identities. Anyone making derogatory comments against it is ignorant of what it stands for”.
Aam Aadmi Party leader Sanjay Singh alleged that BJP has insulted Hinduism in the past. "What about those who steal donations in the name of Ram, Yogi Adityanath talking about Bajrangbali as Dalit and ascribing caste to a god, is that not an insult of Hinduism," he asked.
Samajwadi Party's Swami Prasad Maurya said the BJP is marketing the word 'Sanatan' and they are playing with the sentiments of the people.
