Tamil Nadu is experiencing renewed Hindu protests after two politicians, TVK MLA VMS Mustafa and former Congress MLA Hassan Moulana, publicly supported Opposition Leader Udhayanidhi Stalin’s assembly comments calling for the removal of Sanatan Dharma. The remarks have prompted strong responses from BJP leaders, Hindu groups, and social media users, while TVK chief Joseph Vijay’s lack of comment has itself become a point of discussion.
DMK leader and Leader of the Opposition Udhayanidhi Stalin repeated his earlier position during his first speech as LoP in the new assembly. He stated that Sanatan Dharma “must certainly be abolished” because it “divides the people.” The comment echoed his September 2023 statement, which had previously caused widespread anger and led to legal cases by Hindu organisations.
VMS Mustafa, also known as Madhar Badurudeen and founding president of the Tamil Nadu Muslim League, who represents Madurai Central for TVK, told reporters that the party had entered politics “to eradicate Sanatan Dharma,” citing Periyar and Ambedkar. Former Congress MLA Hassan Moulana declared that Sanatan Dharma was “out of Tamil Nadu and will not prosper here.” Both statements aligned with Udhayanidhi’s assembly remarks.
BJP state president K Annamalai described DMK and TVK as “two sides of the same coin,” accusing both of concealing an anti-Hindu stance behind secular rhetoric during elections and revealing it only after gaining power. He suggested they should have openly stated their intentions during campaigns. Annamalai also noted Udhayanidhi’s mother’s temple visits and challenged him to address his own family first.
BJP spokesperson Narayanan Tirupathi questioned whether Mustafa would apply similar criticism to Islam or Christianity. BJP general secretary BL Santhosh recalled that historical invaders and colonial powers had failed to eliminate Sanatan traditions. Other BJP figures warned that attempts to remove the tradition would fail and harm those making the effort.
Hindu Munnani state president Kadeswara Subramaniam called for Udhayanidhi to be instructed on responsible conduct as opposition leader. The group organised protests across several cities on May 17. Outfits also demanded that the remarks be removed from assembly records, that hate-speech guidelines be applied, and that Mustafa lose his party position and seat.
Some observers have raised concerns that the assembly is being used for repeated criticism of Sanatan Dharma. TVK minister Aadhav Arjuna stated that Udhayanidhi misunderstood the tradition and emphasised equal respect for all religions under the constitution, noting his own lack of personal belief while affirming the duty to respect every faith.
