Udhaya Reignites ‘Sanatana Dharmam’ Row

Chennai: Leader of Opposition in the State Assembly Udhayanidi Stalin on Tuesday reiterated that ‘Sanatana Dharma’ should be abolished as it divides people, reigniting the dying embers of the over three-year-old debate over his earlier call for abolition of ‘Sanatana Dharman’.

Udhayanidhi Stalin, in his maiden speech to the Assembly as Leader of the Opposition on Tuesday, touched on the priority of national song ‘Vanthe Madram’ over ‘Tamil Thai Vazhthu’ at the swearing-in ceremony of Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay and said that Tamil prayer should be given due importance in all government events.

The opposition said that it will not allow Tamil Thai Vazhthu to be sidelined as he was pushed to the third row because the swearing was sung after the national anthem and the national song ‘Vanthe Madaram’ were sung.

Normally, events in Tamil Nadu would traditionally begin with ‘Tamil Thai Vazhthu’ and end with the national anthem. Udhayanidhi hinted that the change was made by reducing the importance of ‘Tamil Thai Vazhthu’ due to ‘Sanatana Dharmam’.

Warning the new government to be cautious against such faux pas in the future, he said it was important to protect the State’s rights and traditions.

Although no one from within the House raised any objection to Udhayanidhi Stalin’s references to ‘Sanatana Dharmam’, many other leaders, especially those from the BJP outside the House, launched an attack against him.

Inside the Assembly, when Udhayanidi Stalin said that the DMK, the senior group in the administration, was ready to provide education to the youth, Vijay was smiling at the remark.