‘Religion that doesn’t treat humans equally is as good as a disease,' says Priyank Kharge on Sanatan Dharma row

Bengaluru: Following Tamil Nadu Minister Udayanidhi Stalin's anti-Sanatana Dharma remarks, Karnataka Minister Priyank Kharge on Monday said that a faith that does not treat humans equally cannot be called a religion.

"In my view, a belief that doesn’t treat humans equally cannot be called a religion, be it any religion. Every human must be treated equally, and a religion must promote the dignity of being a human being. Otherwise it is as good as a disease," he told reporters here.

Kharge made these remarks when he was asked to comment on Udayanidhi's comments against Sanatana Dharma.

The Minister likened Sanatana Dharma to diseases, leading to strong criticism by the people.

"Sanatana is like malaria and dengue, and it should not only be opposed, but eradicated," Udayanidhi, who is Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin's son, had said.

BJP leaders linked Udayanidhi's statement to genocidal intent.

Taking to X, BJP's Amit Malviya flayed TN CM by saying, "Rahul Gandhi speaks of 'Mohabbat ki dukaan' but Congress ally DMK's scion talks about eradicating Sanatana Dharma. Congress' silence is support for this genocidal call. INDIA Alliance, true to its name, if given an opportunity, will annihilate the millennia-old civilisation that is Bharat."

Malviya asked whether this is what was agreed in Mumbai meeting, that is to eradicate Sanatana Dharma and genocide India's 80 percent population.

"Udayanidhi Stalin, son of Tamilnadu CM MK Stalin, and a Minister in the DMK Govt, has linked Sanatana Dharma to malaria and dengue … He is of the opinion that it must be eradicated and not merely opposed.

In short, he is calling for genocide of 80% population of Bharat, who follow Sanatan Dharma. DMK is a prominent member of the Opposition block and a long standing ally of the Congress. Is this what was agreed in the Mumbai meet?" he asked.

Tamil Nadu BJP President Annamalai also took on Udayanidhi and wrote on X: "The only resolve that the Gopalapuram Family has is to accumulate wealth beyond the State GDP. Thiru Udhayanidhi Stalin, you, your father, or his or your ideology have a bought-out idea from Christian missionaries and the idea of those missionaries was to cultivate dimwits like you to parrot their malicious ideology. (UNI)