Issuing a warning that those seeking to harm Sanatan Dharma will meet their own demise, he emphasised that Sanatan Dharma is timeless and enduring, with no beginning or end, remaining impervious to destruction.
New Delhi: Amid controversial remarks on Sanatana Dharma by Udhayanidhi Stalin, prominent Ayodhya seer Paramhans Acharya on Tuesday reiterated his death threat of beheading the DMK minister while also announcing to increase the bounty of Rs 10 crore he had mentioned earlier. Talking to news agency ANI, he said, “…If Rs 10 crores is not enough for beheading him, I will increase the reward, but the insult of ‘Sanatan Dharma’ will not be tolerated…Whatever development has taken place in the country is because of ‘Sanatana Dharma’. He should apologise for his statement…He has hurt the sentiments of 100 crore people in the country…”
Ayodhya Seer Paramhans Acharya reiterates his death threat to TN Minister Undayanishi Stalin over his ‘Sanatana Dharma should be eradicated’ remark, he says “…If Rs 10 crores is not enough for beheading him, I will increase the reward, but the insult of ‘Sanatan Dharma’ will… pic.twitter.com/kT1G0a7TGv
— ANI (@ANI) September 5, 2023
Security Tightened at Udhayanidhi Stalin’s Residence
#WATCH | Security tightened outside the residence of Tamil Nadu Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin in Chennai after he was given a death threat regarding his ‘Sanatana Dharma should be eradicated’ remark. pic.twitter.com/r3HSLCBmab
— ANI (@ANI) September 5, 2023
Defiant Udhayanidhi vows to continue speaking out against Sanatan Dharma
Unfazed by the widespread opposition to his anti-Sanatan Dharma stand, Stalin on Monday said he spoke about “eradicating” certain practices in the faith and that he would continue to raise his voice against them. He said he didn’t speak about just the Hindu faith but about all those that do so.
“I will again and again talk on the issue that I spoke at the event on Saturday. I will speak more. I told that day itself that I am going to talk about the issue which is going to irritate many and that is what has happened,” he told reporters. Sanatan Dharma meant it was permanent and cannot be changed, he claimed.
“Women were confined indoors but they have come out. They said women cannot get education, only Dravidam (the DMK’s ideology) gave them education. Even the breakfast scheme (in Tamil Nadu) is to ensure more children, especially girls, get education,” Udhayanidhi said.
“Sanatanam (as pronounced in Tamil) enslaved women,” he said adding there once used to be the practice of Sati in which widows sacrificed their lives by jumping into their husbands’ funeral pyre. “These are all Sanatanam. This is what I stressed upon on eradicating. I will continue to say so,” he added.
He also said he was unfazed by any threats to his life over the issue.
The DMK leader’s remarks that Sanatan Dharma must be “eradicated” created a furore across the country with the BJP and Hindu right-wing groups taking strong exception to the views.
Union Ministers Amit Shah and Rajnath Singh among others had hit out at the DMK leader for his comments.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said no one should be involved in any matter that might hurt people. Every religion has separate sentiments and India is about unity in diversity, she said.