Bengaluru: In a comment that is likely to further aggravate the ongoing row over Sanatan Dharma, Karnataka Minister Priyank Kharge has come out in support of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin's son Udhayanidhi Stalin.
Speaking to the media, Priyank, son of Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge, said, "Any religion that does not promote equality or does not ensure you have the dignity of being human is not religion, according to me". "Any religion that does not give equal rights or does not treat you like humans is as good as disease," he added.
Earlier, DMK youth wing chief and Tamil Nadu Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin’s call for “eradication” of Sanatan Dharma from the society, billing it as being responsible for many “social evils”, has triggered a major row with the BJP pouncing on his statement, terming it as a “call for genocide” and branding the Opposition alliance as “anti-Hindu”.
Speaking at a conference on ‘Eradicating Sanathana Dharma From the Society’ on Saturday organised by the Tamil Nadu Progressive Writers, Artists Association, Udhayanidhi said Sanathana Dharma is a principle that divides people in the name of caste and religion and uprooting it will only lead to upholding humanity and human equality.
His comments have kicked up a political storm with Defence Minister Rajnath Singh demanding that the entire I.N.D.I.A bloc should apologize for insult to Sanatana Dharma. Congress's Gaurav Gogoi hit back saying BJP allies had slighted both Ram and Hanuman and the opposition did not require a certificate on 'devotion'.
