"They Don't Speak Against Other Religions": Devendra Fadnavis On 'Sanatana' Row

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Monday said invaders who came to destroy Sanatan Dharma got destroyed themselves, comments coming in the backdrop of critical remarks made against the ancient faith by leaders of the DMK, a key member of the opposition INDIA bloc.

The BJP leader asserted the fusillade against Sanatan Dharma reflects nothing but frustration in ranks of the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA), which has more than two dozen parties.

“During the past 10,000 years, invaders who came to destroy Sanatan Dharma got destroyed themselves....this religion stayed on. You don't have strength or courage to finish Sanatan,” Mr Fadnavis said, addressing a rally organised during the BJP's 'Jan Ashirwad Yatra' in Dhar district of poll-going Madhya Pradesh.

Terming the opposition front as “khichdi” (coalition of parties with different ideology) and collection of 'ghamandia' (arrogant) people, Mr Fadnavis targeted Tamil Nadu minister and DMK leader Udhayanidhi Stalin for his comments comparing Sanatan Dharma with diseases like dengue and malaria, and calling for its eradication.

He said after this, the son of Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, Priyank Kharge, a minister in the Karnataka government, also called for uprooting Sanatan Dharma.

“Whenever Sanatan was attacked, a king like Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj came out and saved Sanatan. Whenever Sanatan temples were demolished, our queens like Ahilyabai Holkar came out and rebuilt them,” said the BJP leader.

He urged people to use their votes to send a strong message to those calling for destroying Sanatan Dharma.

Attacking Madhya Pradesh Congress president Kamal Nath, Maharashtra's deputy CM said these days “chunavi Hindus” (Hindus for election purposes) have come up in the country.

“As soon as election comes, they remember Hanuman Chalisa, temples, Bholenath (Lord Shiva). They go to Ujjain (which houses Mahakaleshwar Temple)… I wanted to ask these chunavi Hindus -- if you have courage then say openly you will not tolerate the insult of Sanatan,” Mr Fadnavis said.

The BJP leader maintained if Nath has courage, then he should tell his party colleague Priyank Kharge to seek apology from Hindus for insulting Sanatan Dharma.

“If you (INDIA bloc) abuse Sanatan Dharma for some votes, the country's 80 per cent Hindus will not forgive you. The BJP respects all religions, but why only Sanatan Dharma is being targeted... why they don't speak against other religions?” he asked.

Mr Fadnavis said if anti-BJP parties speak against any other religion, they will not get votes of that faith's followers.

The deputy CM stated that the BJP's agenda is development and welfare of the poor but “we need to teach a lesson to people who abuse our religion, culture and nationalism" through the upcoming elections.

The assembly polls in Madhya Pradesh are due by the year-end. In view of these polls, the ruling BJP has rolled out the 'Jan Ashirward Yatra' to "seek people's blessings". Several such yatras are currently going on covering different parts of the state and they will culminate in Bhopal on September 25.

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