DMK’s A Raja Likens Sanatana Dharma to ‘Social Plights Like HIV, Leprosy’; BJP Calls It ‘Hinduphobia’ – News18

Amid the ongoing controversy over it, DMK MP Andimuthu Raja said that ‘Sanatana Dharma’ should be compared to diseases that carry social stigma like HIV and leprosy.

Speaking at an event against the Centre’s Vishwakarma Yojana in Chennai, Raja said that Udhyanaidhi Stalin’s comparison of Sanatana Dharma to malaria was “relatively mild.”

“Sanatana and Vishwakarma schemes are not that different. Udhayanidhi gently said that Santana Dharma should be eliminated like malaria and dengue,” he said.

Raja further said that these diseases don’t have a social stigma, and that others that have stigma — like HIV and leprosy — should be compared with the Sanatana Dhaema.

“So, we need to see this as diseases ridden with social plights like HIV and leprosy,” he added.

This comes days after Udhayanidhi, who is the son of Tamil Nadu CM MK Stalin likened Sanatana Dharma to “coronavirus, malaria, fever caused by dengue virus and mosquitoes.”

Stalin also called against equality and social justice and it should be eradicated, adding that “such things should not be opposed, but destroyed.”

‘Disgrace to Indian Politics,’ Says BJP

The remark has drawn fierce reactions from the saffron party, with BJP IT Cell head Amit Malviya calling it an “unadulterated hate speech, targeting 80% of Bharat’s population, who follow Sanatan Dharma.”

Taking to X (formally Twitter), Malviya said, “After Udhaynidhi 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 Sanatan Dharma..”

“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 added.

Union Minister Anurag Thakur spoke to CNN-News18 and said that this is how low the Opposition could stoop, and that they can go to any level to speak against Hindus.

“This is part of their politics, this is just vote banks… and it is a disgrace to Indian politics,” Thakur told us.

Thakur also questioned Rahul Gandhi and other Congress leader’s silence on such issues.

Union minister and BJP leader Dharmendra Pradhan called Raja’s comments as “Outrageous and vitriolic,” which reflect the “mental bankruptcy and deep-rooted Hinduphobia of the INDIA bloc.”

Pradhan also said the country is watching how the Congress and its “friends are consciously maligning the soul, spirit and roots of Bharat”.

Let these “hate-mongers be reminded that Sanatan is eternal, Sanatan is truth”,