Udhayanidhi Stalin is Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin's son (File).
Tamil Nadu minister Udhayanidhi Stalin - at the centre of a storm over his "sanatana dharma must be eradicated" remark - doubled down and declared "I will repeat the same thing again and again". However, Mr Stalin also said that he had only "condemned caste differences".
"Day before yesterday I spoke at a function about it ('sanatana dharma'). Whatever I said... I will repeat the same thing again and again. I included all the religions and not just Hinduism... I spoke condemning the caste differences, that is all," he said.
Earlier too he had stressed that his comments were to be read against the backdrop of caste hierarchy and accused the BJP of twisting his words amid fear over growing opposition unity.
"I am ready to face whatever cases they file against me. BJP is scared of the INDIA alliance and to divert that they are saying all this..." he said, as the BJP tried to press the Congress' Rahul Gandhi and veteran Bihar politicians Nitish Kumar and Lalu Prasad Yadav to respond.
The new comments by Udhayanidhi Stalin come amid continuing apoplectic attacks by the Bharatiya Janata Party, whose senior leaders have dismissed Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin's son as "Udhayanidhi Hitler" and slammed the opposition INDIA alliance as "anti-Hindu".
READ | "Ready To Face Any Case": MK Stalin's Son Defends Sanatana Dharma Remark
Udhayanidhi Stalin's party - the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam - is in power in Tamil Nadu, allied with the Congress, and is a member of the INDIA alliance.
Furore over the "sanatana dharma must be eradicated" remark has exploded over the past few days, with Union Home Minister Amit Shah leading the charge. The top BJP leader said INDIA "hates Hinduism" and that the opposition bloc represents "an attack on our heritage".
READ | INDIA "Hates Hinduism": Amit Shah On DMK Leader's Remark
Other BJP leaders, like ex-Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai, who called the younger Stalin "Hitler" and Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, have also hit out.
Curiously, the Congress appears a divided house, with ex-Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath distancing his party from Mr Stalin's remark, which he called "personal views".
It is significant that Madhya Pradesh, where the BJP is in power after the fall of the Kamal Nath-led Congress administration in March 2020, votes for a new government later this year.
In Congress-ruled Karnataka though, minister Priyank Kharge was forceful in his support to Mr Stalin, stating "any religion that does not give equal rights... is as good as disease..."
READ |Congress Divided Over DMK Leader's "Eradicate Sanatana Dharma" Remark
Meanwhile, Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's Trinamool Congress - also a key member of the INDIA alliance - has been clear too... about not backing Mr Stalin and the DMK.
Ms Banerjee - who recited scriptures ahead of polls in Bengal after BJP allegations of minority appeasement - said, "...should not be involved in matter that might hurt a section of people".
READ | "Respect People Of Tamil Nadu But...": Mamata Banerjee On 'Sanatana' Remark
"I respect the people of Tamil Nadu and South India. But my humble request to them is that to respect all as every religion has separate sentiments," she said.