Sanatan remark row: Congress distances from Udhayanidhi’s remarks, reiterates belief in ‘Sarvdharm Sambhav’

Congress leader Pawan Khera on Thursday sought to distance itself from the controversy over Tamil Nadu minister Udhayanidhi Stalin’s remarks on the Sanatan Dharma and reiterated the party’s stand of ‘Sarvdharm Sambhav’.

“The Indian National Congress has believed in ‘Sarvdharm Sambhav’ wherein nobody can treat any particular faith as less than any other faith. Congress does not believe in any of those comments (Udhayanidhi Stalin ‘Sanatan Dharma’ remarks),” Khera said addressing a press conference on Thursday.

Also read:‘Ready to face any case’: MK Stalin’s son defends ‘eradicate Sanatana Dharma’ remark

Every single member of the INDIA alliance has immense respect for every community, religion, and faith, he added.

Udhayanidhi’s recent Santan Dharam remark, in which he equated Santan Dharma to diseases like dengue, Covid and malaria caused a stir across the nation and received sharp criticism from the Bhartiya Janta party (BJP).

“Let me reiterate the crucial aspect of my speech: I believe, like the spread of diseases like COVID-19, dengue, and malaria by mosquitoes, that Sanatan Dharma is responsible for many social evils,” Tamil Nadu Sports Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin said at a conference organised by the Tamil Nadu Progressive Writers Artists Association in Chennai on Saturday, September 2, 2023.

Also read:After Udhayanidhi, DMK minister A Raja compares Sanatan Dharma with ‘HIV’, ‘leprosy’; sparks row

His statement caused a major controversy, drawing severe criticism from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) which claimed that the Opposition’s INDIA alliance insulted India’s culture.

Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh targetted the Congress and leaders of the I.N.D.I.A bloc over their silence on Udhayanidhi’s comments on Sanatana Dharma, warning that the nation will not forgive them unless they apologise. 

Singh asked why Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and Ashok Gehlot are silent on the issue.

Also read: Modi and co using Sanatana ploy to divert attention, says Udhayanidhi

“DMK has attacked Sanatana Dharma and Congress is quiet on it. I want to ask (Rajasthan Chief Minister) Ashok Gehlot why he does not speak, why Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, (Congress president Mallikarjun) Kharge do not say what is their thinking on Sanatana Dharma,” Singh asked. 

“Sanatana Dharma cannot be seen as limited to prayers. Sanatana Dharma gives the message of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam and it considers the whole world as one family. The DMK leader should be asked if he has a clarification regarding his statement. The INDIA alliance should apologise otherwise the nation won’t forgive,” Singh said.