After Stalin, D Raja attacks Sanatan, says it’s not dharma but patriarchal

CPI leader says ‘Sanatan’ is no religion, but vows to eradicate it

NEW DELHI | Updated: 04 September, 2023 1:50 pm IST

D Raja attacks Sanatan Dharma

NEW DELHI: Two days after DMK chief MK Stalin’s son kicked a storm by comparing Sanatan Dharma with “dengue” and “malaria”, another INDIA alliance party, CPI, on Monday escalated the row by describing India’s most-ancient way of living since Treta and Dwapar Yugas, as patriarchal.

Speaking to The New Indian, Communist Party of India (CPI) general secretary D Raja claimed that Sanatan Dharma – a phrase used to describe an inclusive and nature-oriented way of living practiced in India for centuries – promotes inequality.

“First of all, everyone should understand that Sanatan is not dharma (religion). Dharma is something else. Sanatan doesn’t recognize changes that are taking place in nature, society and human thinking,” said Raja, who is said to be a known atheist.

“We are all opposed to sanatan because it perpetuates casteism, patriarchy, inequality. People should read ‘Riddles of Hinduism’ authored by Dr. Bhim Rao Ambedkar,” he suggested.

The CPI leader also charged the BJP-led Central government and Union home minister Amit Shah of unleashing a “genocide in the name of Sanatan Dharma”. “Sanatan is justifying genocide. The fight against Sanatan is philosophical and ideological. We have the right to condemn and disapprove Sanatan Dharma,” he said.

On Saturday, Tamil Nadu minister Udhayanidhi Stalin called Sanatan Dharma a social menace and advocated for its abolishment. Speaking at the Sanatana Abolition Conference, Udhayanidhi said that Sanatana Dharma should not just be opposed, but “eradicated”. Despite a huge backlash, Udhayanidhi has refused to budge and vowed to defend himself in the court of law. Leaders of his party, Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) have supported his controversial comments citing Dalit icon Periyar.

Udhayanidhi’s comments have found support in Congress, with its lawmaker Karti Chidambaram echoing similar sentiments. The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which is eying to ensure a third term for Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has lapped up the opportunity to attack the INDIA bloc for its “politics of vote bank and appeasement”.

“Two major parties of INDI Alliance, DMK and Congress have insulted the history and culture of this country. They have insulted Sanatan Dharma in the past two days. They have called for the eradication of Sanatan Dharma,” Union home minister Amit Shah told a rally.

“Are you ready to eradicate Sanatan Dharma?” he asked the crowd in election-bound Rajasthan. He also accused Congress leader Rahul Gandhi of calling Hindu organisations more dangerous than the terrorist organization Lashkar-e-Taiba