Questioning Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin's son, Udhayanidhi Stalin, for his objectionable remarks against Sanatana Dharma, Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut on Thursday said that the leader of DMK, an ally in INDIA bloc, should Keep his personal or parties' views to himself and within the state.
Mr Raut said that the DMK leader should refrain from making such statements which could give ammunition to the BJP to attack the opposition's Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA).
"I have heard that statement...Udhayanidhi Stalin is a minister and no one will support his statement and one should refrain from making such statements. We all are parties of the INDIA bloc...This could be DMK's view. Around 90 crore Hindus live in this country. Muslims, Parsis, Jains and people belonging to the Lingayat community live here. Everyone has their sentiments. You can't hurt their sentiments. Keep your personal or parties' views to yourselves and within your state. BJP should not get ammunition to target us," Sanjay Raut said.
Udhyanidhi's remarks triggered heavy criticism from the Bharatiya Janata Party-led NDA, which accused the DMK and INDIA bloc of advocating the abolition of Sanatana Dharma.
Speaking at the Chennai conference last week, Udhayanidhi said 'Sanatana' (Sanatan Dharma) is like malaria and dengue, which should not be merely opposed but eradicated.
"A few things cannot be opposed but should only be abolished. We can't merely oppose dengue, mosquitoes, malaria, or corona. They have to be eradicated. Rather than opposing Sanatana, it should be eradicated," Stalin junior had said.
His father and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin on Thursday defended his minister saying in a post on X: "Hon'ble Minister @UdhayStalindidn't call for 'genocide' as distorted by BJP, but only spoke against discrimination. Disheartening to see the 'responsible' Hon'ble Prime Minister, Union Ministers and BJP Chief Ministers ignore facts and driven on fake narratives despite having all access and resources to verify the facts."
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
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