DMK leader Udhayanidhi Stalin on Thursday clarified his controversial remarks on Sanatan Dharma, saying he was referring to the caste system that divides people into ‘upper’ and ‘lower’ castes and was not opposed to anyone’s faith or temple worship.
The clarification came days after his speech in the Tamil Nadu Assembly sparked a fresh political row.
In a post on
“Some people criticize me for this reason. I am not a fearful person. The Dravidian movement came out of opposition. In this sense, I would like to give a simple explanation,” he said.
“Not against temple worship.”
In an attempt to clarify his position further, Udhayanidhi said that the abolition of the caste system should not be interpreted as opposition to religion or worship.
“When I say that the caste system should be abolished, it does not mean that no one should go to the temple,” he said, adding that “everyone should have equal rights, not only in the temple, but also in society.”
He said that his statements came in the context of ending social divisions based on class hierarchy.
“I also spoke about the principles that Periyar, Ambedkar, Anna and Kalaignar spoke about. We are not against anyone’s faith in God. But we will strongly oppose inequality and oppression,” Udhayanidhi added.
What did Loeb say?
The controversy stems from Udhayanidhi’s maiden speech as Leader of the Opposition in the Tamil Nadu Assembly earlier this week. “Sanatana Dharma, which divides people, should definitely be abolished,” he said during his speech, news agency PTI reported.
The statement immediately drew criticism from the BJP and pro-Hindu groups, with opponents accusing him of targeting Hindu beliefs. Similar comments made by Udhayanidhi in 2023 also sparked a political storm and multiple lawsuits.
BJP responds
The BJP launched a sharp attack on the DMK leader following his renewed remarks on Sanatan Dharma. Party chief spokesperson Narayanan Thirupathi said the DMK’s defeat in the 2026 Assembly elections was a result of what he called divisive politics.
In a post on X, Thirupathi said the people of Tamil Nadu will “totally annihilate” the DMK if it continues to hurt religious sentiments.
“Do you realize that because of your talk of eliminating Sanatana, people today sacked and expelled you from power,” he wrote.
The exchange comes after the DMK lost power in the 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly elections, which brought the TVK-led alliance to power.
