‘Sanatana like HIV, leprosy’: After Udhayanidhi, DMK MP A Raja triggers row

Amid the ongoing political slugfest over Tamil Nadu minister Udhyanaidhi Stalin's remarks over 'Sanatana Dharma', his party DMK's MP Andimuthu Raja further kicked up the row by comparing it to social stigma and diseases like HIV and leprosy.

While protesting against the central government’s Vishwakarma Yojana in Chennai, Raja said that Udhyanaidhi's perspective on 'Sanatana Dharma' was relatively mild. "Sanatana and Vishwakarma schemes are not different. Udhayanidhi gently said that Santana Dharma should be eliminated like malaria and dengue," ANI quoted him as saying.

"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 diseases ridden with social plights like HIV and leprosy," the DMK MP further said.

The controversial comments sparked a huge controversy with BJP IT cell head Amit Malviya saying that this is unadulterated hate speech, targeting 80% of Bharat’s population, who follow Sanatana Dharma.

"After Udhayanidhi Stalin, it is now DMK’s A Raja, who denigrates Sanatan Dharma… This is nothing but unadulterated hate speech, targeting 80% of Bharat’s population, who follow Sanatana Dharma," he said.

He further asked if demeaning Hindus with such comments was decided as one of the agenda's in the third joint meet of Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA)in Mumbai last month. "This is the true character of Congress led I.N.D.I Alliance, who think demeaning Hindus is the only way to win elections. Was this decided in the Mumbai meet?" he said.

Union minister Prahlad Patel slammed the DMK MP for his derogatory remarks against Sanatana Dharma saying that it's a well-planned conspiracy and frustration of the INDI alliance. ""Initially I was suspecting this to be a conspiracy by the INDIA alliance, but now I am confident. The silence of Congress leadership and then another remark by their alliance partner from Bihar, this shows that it's a well-planned conspiracy and frustration of the INDIA alliance," Patel told PTI.

Tamil Nadu minister Udhayanidhi Stalin had sparked a controversy last week comparing the Sanatana Dharma with diseases like dengue and malaria. While addressing a seminar in Chennai, he had said it should not be merely opposed but "eradicated".

(With inputs from agencies)