"Not A Slip Of Tongue": Minister On DMK Leader's Sanatana Dharma Remark

Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Monday said that Tamil Nadu Minister and DMK leader Udhayanidhi Stalin's Sanatan Dharam remark was not a slip of the tongue but was said to demean India's civilisation and its faith.

"This incident happened 3 days ago. Udayanidhi said this in a seminar. It was not a slip of the tongue. It is as if a competition has begun to demean and insult India's civilisation, faith and Sanatana Dharma or Hindu Dharma...," Dharmendra Pradhan said during a press conference in Delhi.

Union Minister Pradhan took a jibe at the Opposition over this and said that they are "working under divide and rule policy."

"Is this happening to please the Gandhi family? In 2012, the term saffron terrorism was introduced. You didn't say pink terrorism, did you? You have set such a narrative because there is a lot of hatred in the society.  These people running the shop of hatred are working under divide and rule policy," he said.

He further slammed Congress MP Rahul Gandhi for "being silent" on the DMK leader's remark and said that such statements are made for political gains and added that those leaders speaking on "small things are silent here."

"Rahul Gandhi is silent. Rahul goes to the temple, applies tilak and also wears Januya. Why is Rahul Gandhi not coming forward? Such statements are being made for political purposes. Why are Arvind Kejriwal, Nitish Kumar, Mamta Banerjee, and Tejashwi Yadav silent in this matter? Why is Sharad Pawar silent," he said.

"Do you envy Modi? These people do not believe in the Constitution. They speak on small things but are silent here. Court has said that Hindutva is not a method of worship but a way of life and system," the Union Minister added.

Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh earlier today said that Congress and Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) bloc leaders should apologise over the remarks made by DMK leader Udhayanidhi Stalin on Sanatan Dharma.

"Congress ally DMK is insulting Sanatan Dharma. They say that Sanatan Dharma should be abolished. Allies of the INDIA coalition have kept silent on this. Why Gehlot ji is silent, and Sonia ji silent? Congress and INDIA should apologize," he said.

Congress General Secretary KC Venugopal who was the first Congress leader to speak on Udhayanidhi Stalin's remark said on Monday that the party believes in 'Sarva Dharma Samabhava' and respects everyone's belief.

"Our view is clear; 'Sarva Dharma Samabhava' is the Congress' ideology. Every political party has the freedom to tell their views...We are respecting everybody's beliefs..." said KC Venugopal.

Udhayanidhi Stalin has come under severe criticism since he mentioned on Saturday that Sanatan Dharma should not merely be opposed but eradicated.

However, the DMK leader said that he only criticised Sanatana Dharma adding that BJP is twisting his statement and spreading fake news on this issue.

"I am ready to face whatever cases they file against me. BJP is scared of the INDIA Alliance and to divert that they are saying all this. DMK's policy is One clan, one God," Udhayanidhi Stalin told reporters.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)