New Delhi:

The remark on Sanatana Dharma by DMK chief MK Stalin’s minister son shows that the Opposition bloc INDIA “hates Hinduism” and is “an attack on our heritage”, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said today.

Mr Shah was speaking at Dungarpur in poll-bound Rajasthan at the launch of BJP’s Parivartan Yatra. The BJP is pushing hard to defeat the ruling Congress and return to power in the upcoming Rajasthan polls.

The Home Minister alleged that the remarks by Udhayanidhi Stalin are part of INDIA bloc’s “vote bank politics” and “appeasement” tactic.

Doubling down on his attack, Mr Shah referred to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s 2010 remark, in which he had said radical Hindu outfits are a bigger threat than terror organisation Lashkar-e-Taiba.

The Home Minister’s remarks come amid a huge row over remarks by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin’s son Udhayanidhi.

Addressing a writers’ conference in Chennai, Udhayanidhi Stalin said the idea of “Sanatana Dharma is against the idea of social justice and must be eradicated”. He also drew a parallel between Sanatana Dharma and diseases such as dengue and malaria.

As the remarks went viral, BJP leaders termed them a call for genocide and slammed Udhayanidhi Stalin and questioned if all members of INDIA agree with the DMK leader’s remarks.

Responding to the criticism, Mr Stalin has said Sanatana Dharma “is a principle that divides people in the name of caste and religion”.

“I never called for the genocide of people who are following Sanatana Dharma. Uprooting Sanatana Dharma is upholding humanity and human equality. I stand firmly by every word I have spoken. I spoke on behalf of the oppressed and marginalized, who suffer due to the Sanatana Dharma,” he said.

At the Rajasthan rally, Mr Shah said Sanatana Dharma is ruling the hearts of people. “They say Sanatana rule will come if Modi wins. Sanatana is ruling people’s heart,” he said, adding that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has underlined that India will run as per the Constitution.