Amit Shah slams INDIA Alliance for insulting ‘Sanatan Dharma’; launches 2nd ‘Parivartan Yatra’

JAIPUR: Union Home Minister Amit Shah lashed out at the INDIA Alliance on Sunday for allegedly ‘insulting Sanatana Dharma.’ Launching the BJP’s second ‘Parivartan Sankalp Yatra’ from Beneshwar Dham in Rajasthan’s Dungarpur district, Amit Shah reacted sharply to the reported remarks by DMK leader Udhayanidhi Stalin on “Sanatan Dharma” and accused both the DMK and its ally the Congress, of ‘insulting Sanatan Dharma’ for vote bank politics.

Shah slammed Tamil Nadu Youth Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin over his ‘Sanatana Dharma’ remarks which reflect that the Opposition INDIA bloc “hates Hinduism” and is “an assault on our heritage.” In this context, Shah also attacked Congress leader Rahul Gandhi claiming that Rahul had earlier termed Hindu organisations as ‘more dangerous’ than Lashkar-e-Taiba.

An angry Shah asserted, “For the last two days the INDIA alliance has been insulting ‘Sanatana Dharma’. Leaders of DMK and Congress are talking about ending ‘Sanatana Dharma’ just for vote bank politics. This is not the first time they have insulted our ‘Sanatana Dharma’. Before this, Manmohan Singh also said that the first right on the budget is for the minorities, but we say that the first right is for the poor, tribals, Dalits and backwards. Today, the Congress party says that if Modi ji will win, Sanatana will rule. Rahul Gandhi said that the Hindu groups are more dangerous than Lashkar-e-Taiba. Rahul Gandhi compared Hindu organisations with Lashkar-e-Taiba.”

In his remarks, the Tamil Nadu Youth Welfare Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin had alleged that ‘Sanatan Dharma’ is against equality and social justice and should be eradicated. Speaking at a conference in Chennai on Saturday, Udhayanidhi had reportedly said that “just as a few things cannot be opposed and should be abolished only – we can’t oppose dengue, mosquitoes, malaria, or corona, we have to eradicate them. Similarly, we have to eradicate Sanatana rather than opposing it.”

Shah also launched a scathing attack on the Ashok Gehlot-led government in Rajasthan. He stated that the fate of the Gehlot government would be sealed by the time the Parivartan Yatra concluded. Accusing the Congress of appeasement, Shah said, “Uproot the Gehlot government, which incited riots. Gehlot’s leadership is characterised by such actions. Congress leaders discuss ending Sanatan Dharma, but the more they speak against it, the less relevant they become. They witnessed a decline in 2014 and 2019, and their visibility in 2024 will be akin to searching for a needle in a haystack.”