Security Heightened At Udhayanidhi Stalin's Home, What's The Sanatan Dharma Controversy, and Opposition's Latest Trigger?

Security outside the Chennai residence of Tamil Nadu Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin has been significantly increased following a death threat he received the day after making controversial remarks about 'Sanatan Dharma.' A video released by ANI shows police officials stationed outside Udhayanidhi Stalin's house. Notably, Ayodhya seer Paramhans Acharya announced a reward of Rs 10 crore for anyone who beheads CM MK Stalin's son in response to his alleged comments against 'Sanatan Dharma,' as reported by PTI.

What is Sanatana Dharma row and the storm over it?

During a gathering of the Tamil Nadu Progressive Writers and Artists Association on Saturday, Udhayanidhi expressed his view that Sanatan stands in opposition to the principles of equality and social justice. The young minister asserted that Sanatan's practices involve dividing people based on their caste, a regressive approach that contradicts the ideals of equality and social justice. Furthermore, he drew a parallel between this ideology and diseases like "dengue, malaria, and COVID-19," emphasizing the need for its elimination.

Following his statements, K Annamalai, the Tamil Nadu BJP chief, accused Udhayanidhi of advocating for the elimination of the majority population of Bharat, who adhere to the Sanatan Dharma, by using the term "genocide."

Subsequently, Home Minister Amit Shah accused the INDIA bloc, which includes the DMK, of engaging in divisive politics by "insulting" Sanatan Dharma for the sake of securing votes and appeasement. BJP President JP Nadda called on the public to reject this opposition alliance, which he claimed is propagating "hatred and poison" while attacking the nation's culture and traditions. The BJP further alleged that the Opposition alliance has a clear and primary agenda of completely eradicating Hindu dharma.

The saffron party characterized the remarks made by the DMK leader as "hate speech" and urged the Supreme Court to take appropriate action against him.

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman also criticized Udhayanidhi and the INDIA bloc, sharing an old video of Tamil Nadu Congress chief KS Alagiri stating that the purpose of the alliance in the state is to undermine and destroy Sanatan Dharma.

Backlash and legal action against the Minister

Paramhans Acharya, the chief priest of the Tapaswi Chawni temple in Ayodhya, was quoted by the agency as saying, "I will pay a cash reward of Rs 10 crore to anyone who beheads Stalin and delivers to me. If no one dares to execute this, I will personally track him down and take his life." 

"Sanatan Dharma neither has a beginning nor an end. It has never been destroyed and can never be destroyed," he remarked. Udhayanidhi Stalin has faced significant criticism from the BJP and Hindi organizations for his statements against 'Sanatan Dharma.'

According to PTI, Acharya has previously made similar declarations in response to comments made by Samajwadi Party leader Swami Prasad Maurya about Ramcharitmanas and by Shahrukh Khan for his portrayal in saffron attire in the blockbuster movie Pathaan.

A delegation from the BJP, led by Delhi unit President Virendra Sachdeva and including MPs Harsh Vardhan and Parvesh Verma, paid a visit to the Tamil Nadu House with the intention of delivering a protest letter addressed to Chief Minister Stalin.
Union Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal was reported as saying, "Congress leaders are making harmful comments about 'Sanatan Dharma.' They talk about 'mohabbat ki dukan' (shop of love). We would like to question Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi, is this what they consider as their 'mohabbat ki dukan'?"

Union Minister Prahlad Patel conveyed to PTI, "Every time there has been an attack on 'Sanatan Dharma' and Hindus, the Congress and the opposition have remained silent. The fact that individuals like Rahul Gandhi and (Arvind) Kejriwal have stayed quiet suggests that this is part of a larger conspiracy."

The Delhi Police has officially lodged a complaint against Udhayanidhi, invoking various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and the IT Act. They have characterized his statement as "provocative, inciting, and defamatory against Sanatan Dharma." 

Additionally, two separate petitions have been filed in Bihar courts, one against Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin and the other specifically against his son, Udhayanidhi Stalin. These petitions allege that Udhyanidhi Stalin's comments have caused offense and hurt "Hindu sentiments." 

Advocate Sudhir Kumar Ojha submitted one of the petitions to the court of Chief Judicial Magistrate Pankaj Kumar Lal in Muzaffarpur, while advocate Kaushalendra Narayan filed the other complaint in a Patna court. 

Udhayanidhi Stalin’s reply to the whole saga

Udhayanidhi rejected the allegations that he advocated for genocide. He further clarified, "I never made any statements calling for the genocide of individuals practicing Sanatan Dharma. Sanatan Dharma, in my view, is a set of principles that perpetuates division among people based on caste and religion. Advocating for the removal of Sanatan Dharma is synonymous with promoting humanity and equality among all individuals. I wholeheartedly stand by every word I uttered. My remarks were made on behalf of the oppressed and marginalized individuals who endure suffering due to the practices associated with Sanatan Dharma."

He went on to express his readiness to face any challenges, whether in a legal setting or the court of public opinion.
Despite the significant opposition he has faced for his comments, Udhyanidhi, a well-known Tamil film actor and producer who entered active politics before the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, has garnered support from a few quarters. His father, MK Stalin, expressed his views in a podcast titled "Speaking for India," where he suggested that the BJP has chosen "religion as their weapon" to divert attention from their own shortcomings.

Today DMK supporters in Vellore set fire to an effigy of Ayodhya seer Mahant Paramhans Das. This action was in response to his announcement of a 10 crore rupee reward for Udhyanidhi Stalin, who had made comments about 'Sanatan Dharma'.

Congress MP Karti Chidambaram also shared his perspective on X, stating, "Sanathana Dharma is essentially code for a Caste Hierarchical Society. Those advocating for it are yearning for the 'Good Ole Days!' Caste remains a profound challenge in India."