Aam Aadmi Party leader Raghav Chadha has condemned the remarks by DMK leader Udhayanidhi Stalin targetting the Sanatan Dharma and said that a statement by a “small leader” cannot be taken as the official stand of the newly constituted I.N.D.I.A bloc of Opposition parties.
Speaking to news agency PTI, the Rajya Sabha MP advised restraint by all in making remarks against any religion and said that he condemns and opposes such statements.
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“I am from Sanatana Dharma. I condemn and oppose such statements. Such kind of statements should not be made. One should stay away from making such remarks on any religion. We should respect all religions,” Chadha told PTI.
Chadha’s remarks came amid an intensifying controversy over Stalin’s remark calling for the eradication of Sanatan Dharma and blaming it for creating divisions and discrimination in society. The Tamil Nadu minister, who is also the son of Chief Minister MK Stalin, also compared Sanatan Dharma to “diseases like dengue, malaria” while calling for its eradication.
The BJP has seized on the opportunity to use Stalin’s remarks to target the INDIA bloc of 26 Opposition parties which intends to take on the ruling government at the Centre in the Lok Sabha elections next year. On Tuesday, the BJP accused the INDIA bloc of having a hidden agenda to target Sanatana Dharma for vote bank politics.
Defending the Opposition alliance, which both AAP and DMK are part of, Chadha said the INDIA bloc has been formed to raise bigger issues like price rise and unemployment facing the country.
“Some leader from some party makes such remarks… it doesn’t mean it is the statement of the alliance. The alliance has been formed for raising big issues like price rise and unemployment facing the country. The statement made by some small leader, from a district in a state, is not the official stand of the alliance,” PTI quoted Chadha as saying.
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The remarks came on the eve of a meeting of the 14-member coordination committee, the top decision-making body of the INDIA bloc in Delhi on Wednesday. The meeting, which is being convened at the residence of NCP leader Sharad Pawar, is also likely to see discussions on seat-sharing between the alliance partners, among other issues. Chadha is part of this coordination committee.
Chadha said that the meeting will see a discussion on the issues that the alliance will raise, how it will reach out to people along with dynamics in states and its strategy for the special session of Parliament. “All states are different and that is how we celebrate our diversity. Electoral colour is different. We will discuss it state-wise,” he said.
Chadha further said that every political party which is part of the alliance will have to make some sacrifices for the success of the alliance. “Every political party will have to sacrifice three things to make this alliance successful – ambition (mahatvakanksha), difference of opinion (matbhed) and manbhed,” he added.
Chadha also ruled out AAP staking claim to the post of Prime Minister in the Opposition alliance and even hinted that the INDIA bloc may enter the Lok Sabha elections without a PM face at all. “The alliance will take a decision (on a prime ministerial name). Even the alliance formed in 1977 did not have a declared PM face yet they won the elections against Indira Gandhi. I see a repeat of that happening in 2024 Lok Sabha polls,” he said.
Chadha added that the AAP is a loyal soldier of the alliance which has many able administrators. We have many competent people. But can someone in NDA stand up and say they want Nitin Gadkari to become PM or Amit Shah to become the prime minister? I just want to prove here that we have many able administrators. They don’t have anyone. They can only take the name of one leader,” he said.