Stand by Sanatana remarks,will face it legally: Udhay

CHENNAI: Minister for Youth Welfare and Sports Development Udhayanidhi Stalin on Monday said he stood by his position on the ‘Sanatana Dharma’ row and that he will not take back his remark which is in line with what BR Ambedkar and Periyar have advocated.

“I will face it legally...I did not say anything wrong. I will not change my opinion. I have not said only what Dr Ambedkar and Periyar (EV Ramasamy) have said in the past...I may lose my post as Minister or MLA...But what matters to me is being human,” said Udhayanidhi, defending his stance after the Madras High Court chided the State police for not acting against inflammatory speeches at an anti-Sanatana Dharma conference.

Udhayanidhi said while social issues related to ‘Sanatana Dharma’ were hundreds of years old, the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) issue, which had been around for just six years, should be resolved first.

The judge had observed that the police should have registered cases against Udhayanidhi and HR&CE Minister PK Sekarbabu for participating in a conference seeking the “eradication” of Sanatana Dharma. Udhayanidhi had equated Sanatana Dharma with malaria, dengue and COVID. Sekarbabu had also participated in the event.

“Person in power should realise the danger of speech unflaring fissiparous tendency and behave responsibly and restrain themselves from propagating views which will divide people in the name of ideology, caste and religion. Instead, they may concentrate on eradicating intoxicating drinks and drugs, corruption, untouchability and other social evils, wrote the judge.