Aadhav Arjuna rejected Udhayanidhi Stalin’s interpretation of Sanatan Dharma, saying he does not understand the concept and clarifying his own secular stance.
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Tamil Nadu Cabinet Minister and Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) General Secretary Aadhav Arjuna on Thursday distanced himself from DMK MLA Udhayanidhi Stalin’s remarks on Sanatan Dharma, saying the leader lacks a proper understanding of the subject.
Speaking to reporters, Arjuna drew a careful line between the state government’s secular position and the DMK leader’s comments. He said the Tamil Nadu government extends equal respect to people across all religions and that this principle of equality has historically defined the state’s political identity.
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“Udhayanidhi Stalin doesn’t know what Sanatan Dharma is,” Arjuna said bluntly. “Hindus, Muslims, Christians, we have always treated everyone equally.”
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Arjuna, who described himself as personally non-religious, added that his role as a minister required him to respect all faiths. He was careful to separate religious opposition from political opposition, stating, “We are not against Hindus; we are against Hindutva. Hindutva means forcing one religion on others.”
Arjuna also drew a pointed regional contrast in how Sanatan Dharma is understood across India. According to him, in North India, Sanatan Dharma is largely synonymous with Hinduism as a faith. In Tamil Nadu, however, the term carries a different political and social connotation, one linked to caste hierarchy and inequality.
“In Tamil Nadu, Sanatan Dharma is inequality,” he said, adding that his party has always stood against inequality, not against any religion.
He pressed Udhayanidhi to publicly clarify where exactly he stands on the issue and what he means when he uses the phrase in political settings.
The controversy traces back to Tuesday, when Udhayanidhi Stalin, Leader of Opposition in the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly and a DMK MLA, used the floor of the House to renew his call for the “eradication” of Sanatan Dharma.
“Sanathanam, which separated people, should be eradicated,” he said during the session.
This is not the first time Udhayanidhi has made such statements. He has drawn similar criticism in the past from opposition politicians, members of the public, and even from the judiciary for remarks targeting Sanatan Dharma. Thursday’s backlash was consistent with the pattern that has followed his previous statements on the subject.
The BJP moved quickly to condemn the remarks. Party spokesperson CR Kesavan described Udhayanidhi’s comments as a “toxic rant” and accused the DMK of running a sustained campaign of divisive politics against Hindu sentiment.
Kesavan drew a direct comparison between Udhayanidhi and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, saying both were engaged in what he called hate-driven politics targeting Hindu faith. He cited Gandhi’s boycott of the Ram Mandir consecration ceremony and his remarks on the Sengol as examples of a similar pattern.
“What better can you expect from the divisive DMK which opposed the lighting of the Karthigai Deepam and whose Chief Minister never wished the people of Tamil Nadu on Deepavali?” Kesavan said.
He also referenced a statement by a DMK MP and former Union minister, who had allegedly described Hinduism as a threat not just to India but to the world.
Kesavan concluded by warning that the people of Tamil Nadu would not forget or forgive what he called an “abuse and insult” of their faith, pointing to the temple Gopuram on the state emblem as a symbol of the state’s religious identity.
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