New Delhi: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman today launched a scathing attack on politics in response to provocative remarks made by DMK leader Udhayanidhi Stalin, who blamed Sanatan Dharma for encouraging division and discrimination among people and said it should be eradicated. Stalin said that Sanatan Dharma is against Hindus and “Sanatan Dharma” and that it should be eradicated. Directly criticizing the Congress, Ms. Sitharaman asserted that the grand old party backs organizations who want to “break India.” Even though the Congress swiftly distanced itself from the DMK lawmaker’s remarks, the minister’s party colleagues have recently singled out the party and notably its top leader Sonia Gandhi.
Ms. Sitharaman added that “the minister openly said it’s a protest not against Sanatana Dharma, but to eradicate Sanatana Dharma,” and that no member of the INDIA bloc has denounced the remarks.
The minister claimed that the DMK’s “anti-Sanatana is the pronounced policy of the DMK” in an interview with NDTV, adding that she has seen it herself.
“The Tamil Nadu population suffered. Due to a language barrier, it was not understood by the rest of the nation. That is how it has always been. You no longer even need a translator to understand what a minister is saying thanks to social media. It comes as no surprise. For 70 years, DMK has been carrying it out. Hypocrisy, she declared.
She described Udhayanidhi Stalin’s words as a “mockery of the constitution” and claimed he made them while knowing they would be against his oath of office.
Udhayanidhi Stalin had declared, “Sanatana (Dharma) ought to be eradicated like malaria, dengue, and mosquito and not opposed,” inciting a fierce backlash from the BJP and its allies.
A Raja, the leader of the DMK, allegedly remarked that “Sanatan Dharma” should be contrasted with socially stigmatized conditions like AIDS and leprosy.
The Congress claimed the party believed in “sarvadharma sambhav” (equal regard for all religions), and stated it disagreed with Udhayanidhi Stalin and A Raja’s comments.
Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu and leader of the DMK MK Stalin claimed that his son had not intended to offend any religion or religious beliefs and had merely spoken against “inhuman principles preached by Sanatan… that discriminate against Scheduled Castes, tribes, and women.”
Regarding the Delhi Declaration
Nirmala Sitharaman stated in an exclusive interview with NDTV that the G20, which is primarily a financial conference, has taken a collective approach on topics like crypto assets, global debt, and the need for reform in the Bretton Woods Institutions—the International Monetary conference and the World Bank.
She added that she is “very satisfied” with the Delhi Declaration and claimed that India was able to reach agreement on all of the topics.
The minister noted that the G20’s finance track has a significant role to play. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is leading India’s presidency, has stated that international institutions need to be reformed.
The minister stated that it is detrimental for nations to make “isolatory attempts” on matters like controlling crypto assets.
