Karan Singh urges Tamil politicians to refrain from 'abusing' Sanatan Dharma

Veteran Congress leader Karan Singh has urged Tamil Nadu politicians to refrain from making derogatory remarks against Sanatan Dharma, citing distress to millions of people across the country.

Veteran Congress leader Karan Singh on Wednesday urged politicians from Tamil Nadu to refrain from making derogatory remarks against Sanatan Dharma, asserting that such statements cause ''distress'' to a vast number of people across the country.

In a statement, Singh said repeated comments targeting Sanatan Dharma by senior Tamil politicians were ''totally inappropriate and unacceptable''.

''They must realise that outside Tamil Nadu, crores of people look upon Sanatan Dharma as Hinduism, and giving it a casteist interpretation and then abusing it is totally unwarranted,'' he said, adding that some of the greatest Hindu temples -- inlcuding Thanjavur, Tiruchirappalli, Srirangam, Chidambaram, Madurai Meenakshi, Rameshwaram -- are located in the southern state.

''I urge all concerned in Tamil Nadu to refrain from abusing Sanatan Dharma, which causes distress to vast numbers of people living in other parts of the country,'' Singh added.

His remarks came amid a renewed controversy over statements on Sanatan Dharma by Tamil Nadu leaders.

Leader of Opposition Udhayanidhi Stalin had on May 13 reiterated his call for the ''abolition'' of Sanatan Dharma, claiming that it divides people, repeating a controversial statement he had made in September 2023.

The controversy intensified after TVK legislator Madhar Badhurudeen (V M S Mustafa) allegedly expressed support for Stalin's remarks. However, he later retracted his statement following backlash.

Reacting to the row, Tamil Nadu Minister Aadhav Arjuna said the TVK is not against any religion but opposed to inequality.