Tamil Nadu
S Rajesh
Sep 07, 2023, 07:33 PM | Updated 07:49 PM IST
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Responding to Chief Minister MK Stalin, who put out a statement on social media today (7 September) defending his son Udhayanidhi Stalin's remarks calling for the eradication of Sanatana Dharma, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) state president K Annamalai, in a post on X (formerly Twitter), said that if there was something that needed eradication in Tamil Nadu, it was the DMK.
He also stated that going forward people would associate DMK with 'Dengue', 'Malaria' and 'Kosu' (mosquito).
In a detailed rebuttal video along with the post, Annamalai said that the BJP had seen the statements put out by Chief Minister Stalin and his son Udhayanidhi on the issue and said that it was good to see that they were trying to tone down the matter as they had realised that they were fighting a losing battle.
Asking Chief Minister Stalin not to bother the Prime Minister, he said, "And today not only have you defended something but also you have spoken some lies against our Hon'ble Prime Minister Narendra Modiji. I believe it is my bounden duty as a BJP karyakarta to respond to that. I'm sure with the way our Hon'ble Prime Minister is working with integrity and with his hard work.
"Even as we speak now, he's in Indonesia promoting our national interest. And immediately September 9 and 10, the G-20 meeting is going to happen where India will be at the center stage of global map. So please don't bother our Prime Minister to respond to your unfounded, false and diabolical allegations."
MC Rajah And Sathyavani Muthu
He then questioned Chief Minister Stalin on the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam's (DMK) record on welfare of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes by recalling how Dalit leader MC Rajah had quit the Justice Party (one of the ideological predecessors of the DMK) saying that the party did not practice what it preached and did not give space to SC leaders. Rajah had stated that the alleged Brahmin domination was replaced by upper-caste Hindu domination, said Annamalai.
Further, he said that a Dalit woman minister Sathyavani Muthu was sacked from the cabinet and removed from the party after she said that the Karunanidhi government was not allocating funds for Dalits.
"These are some of the instances where I can give you in the early part of your moment how Dalit leaders were treated right inside your party. When you say that you are here to abolish certain ills of Sanatana Dharma and to promote equality, it is like Satan talking about Vedas to the God. So please don't get into that territory. Sir, that is my humble submission to you," he said.
Cabinet Composition
"Also Sir, you mentioned that DMK as a party is very progressive.
"Anyone who's looking at your cabinet, current cabinet, now out of 35 ministers, three ministers are from the SC community, two women ministers. Do you call this as progressive? Less than 10 percent and all the brothers and sisters who are coming from the SC community, you have given some minor portfolios to them. Insignificant portfolios.
"Look at our Hon'ble Prime Minister Narendra Modi's current cabinet. I'm just doing a basic comparison. Out of the 79 ministers, 20 ministers are from the SC/ST community. 11 ministers are women, five ministers are from the minority community.
"I'm sure, sir, you will clearly understand that you really don't practice what you preach, even if I take Uttar Pradesh. Out of 52 ministers, nine ministers are from the SC/ST community. So you don't give them political rights. You don't give them political powers. Then what are you talking about improving the standards of the oppressed community?," he said.
DMK Is A Party Run On Caste Lines
"Again. I would like to bring certain things for your recall Sir. In Tirunelveli, when the Maanjolai tea workers protested, when they were brutally killed, because of the police action, when they jumped into the Tamirabarani river, close to 17 people got killed, including a month old child.
"When the action was sought against the police officer, what did your father Kalaignar Karunanidhi say? He said no, if I take action against some police officers, their community will feel offended. So I am not going to take action.
"So DMK as a party is run on caste lines. DMK as a party is meant to promote caste in Tamil Nadu. That is why more than any other part of India, Tamil Nadu sees the highest number of caste violence. Tamil Nadu sees the highest number of caste conflicts. Tamil Nadu has got the highest number of caste fault lines including the latest research says, the prevalence of two tumbler system is one of the highest in Tamil Nadu.
"That is why we had a shameful spectacle last year when during the Independence day under your regime, many Panchayat leaders belonging to SC community were not allowed to hoist the flag and we raised a big agitation and demonstration for that. So what are you talking Sir?," he asked.
Discrimination Created By Mankind, Great People From Within Sanatana Dharma Have Voiced Against It
Regarding discrimination, Annamalai said that when some human beings have brought discriminatory practises, great people from within the Sanatana Dharma have come out against it and tried to abolish it. He cited examples like Swami Sahajananda and Swami Dayanand Saraswati.
There Are Dalits Among Alwars And Nayanars
"Out of the 63 Nayanars (Shaivite saints), 17 Nayanars are Brahmins. What about the rest of the community? Many Nayanars come from the oppressed community. We worship them as saints.
"Out of Alwars (Vaishnava saints), three Alwars are Brahmins. Where are the rest of the Alwars from? They come from the oppressed community."
On DK Leader K Veeramani's Statement That Hinduism Is Same As Sanatana Dharma
Annamalai asked Chief Minister Stalin to condemn the statement of Dravidar Kazhagam (DK) ideologue K Veeramani who had said that Hinduism is the same as Sanatana Dharma at the same conference in which Udhayanidhi had spoken, if he felt that the statement was wrong.
Further, he asked why was HRCE minister P Sekar Babu silent when such remarks were being made against Hinduism. He added that Sekar Babu had violated the oath he had taken while becoming a minister.
Lies Will Not Keep Working
Saying that Chief Minister Stalin was living in an age old premise that a 1000 lies told 10000 times would become 1000 truths, Annamalai said that it would not work as the people of the state had seen the corruption under his administration and the audio tape in which a voice, alleged to be that of former Finance Minister Palanivel Thiaga Rajan says that Chief Minister Stalin's son and son-in-law had amassed Rs 30000 crore.
Referring to the case of Senthil Balaji, he said that the Madras High Court had few days back stated that his continuation as a minister without portfolio was violative of the ethos of good governance. He asked how could Chief Minister Stalin then talk of probity in governance.
I.N.D.I.A Alliance
Stating that nobody is afraid of the I.N.D.I.A alliance, Annamalai said that its formation has made it possible for people to see corrupt, dynastic parties sitting together at one table.
"It is like Judas going after Christ after the Great Supper", he said.
Sanatana Dharma Accomodates Everybody
Referring to his quote from Christianity, Annamalai said that Sanatana Dharma is accomodative in nature and all faiths are as important as Hindu faith. He also stated that he was quoting from Christianity because Udhayanidhi once said that he is a Christian.
Further, he said that it was on these lines that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been carrying out administration in the last nine years.
Fight The Coming Elections On Sanatana Dharma
Challenging the DMK to fight the coming elections on Sanatana Dharma, he said if the party fights polls saying it would abolish Sanatana Dharma, the BJP would fight on the plank of protecting and preserving Sanatana Dharma.
Three Years You Are Against Sanatana Dharma, Fourth And Fifth Year You Become Hindus
"We will see where people of Tamil Nadu are going to vote because we know the DMK drama for the last many years. After you come to power, the first year is opposing Sanatana Dharma. Second year you say abolishing Sanatana Dharma. Third year, you want to brutally root out Sanatana Dharma. Fourth year, you say you are a Hindu. You say 90 percent of DMK partymen are Hindu. Fifth year you take a Vel (an ayudha of Lord Muruga in the form of a spear) to say you are also a Hindu."
Becoming Amar Amar And Antony During Elections
"So this drama Tamil Nadu has seen for the last many many decades. When elections comes you suddenly become an Amar and an Akbar and an Antony which Mr. Rahul Gandhi ji for the last 17 failed attempts is trying to do the same thing, becoming Amar in one state becoming Akbar in one state, becoming Antony in one state. The people of India and the people of Tamil Nadu and the whole of Barat have read into your elitist cabal, family-oriented corrupt practices."
DMK Will Be Wiped Out In 2024
"Come 2024, DMK as a party is going to get wiped out. I didn't say it, your son said it because D stands for Dengue, M stands for Malaria, and K stands for Kosu (mosquito). Good luck Sir."
If something needs eradication from Tamil Nadu, it is the DMK.
— K.Annamalai (@annamalai_k) September 7, 2023
D - Dengue
M - Malaria
K - Kosu
Going forward, we are sure that people will associate these deadly diseases with DMK.
Here is my detailed rebuttal to TN CM Thiru @mkstalin avlâs press statement today. pic.twitter.com/sg6Pmp1nTv
S Rajesh is Staff Writer at Swarajya. He tweets @rajesh_srn.