Detractors come and go, dharma lives on

It can be argued that Sanatana Dharma, with its universal and humanistic precepts, has withstood the test of time and will continue to thrive

Earlier this month, at a conference on ‘Eradicating Sanatana Dharma from the Society’, Udhayanidhi Stalin, a minister in the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) government of Tamil Nadu and son of the chief minister, stated that Sanatana Dharma should be eradicated and compared the philosophy to malaria and dengue.

Coimbatore: People watch posters put up by the DMK in connection with ongoing Sanatana Dharm row, in Coimbatore, Wednesday, Sept. 6, 2023. (PTI Photo) (PTI09_06_2023_000026A)(PTI)

First, it is shocking that a minister chose to attend a conference whose stated purpose was the eradication of a faith and a philosophy that resonates with 80% of the country’s population. If a similar conference with a similar title were to be held against any other faith, there would have been a furore at a global level deploring India’s descent into ‘blatant majoritarianism’. However, when it comes to a pluralistic, tolerant, non-dogmatic faith, then it becomes a free-for-all.

Second, the minister lauded the organisers for picking the theme of the elimination of Sanatana Dharma. This constitutes unadulterated hate speech. This is the language that Adolf Hitler used against the Jewish people when he called them the ‘race-tuberculosis of the peoples’. Calling for the elimination of a faith is the first step in calling for the annihilation of the people professing that faith. The nation expected an apology for such a statement. Instead, the DMK minister has sought to further denigrate it. Unfortunately, none of the 28 parties in the Congress-led alliance condemned this statement. While some doubled down, others made half-hearted statements attempting a justification.

One of the principles of Sanatana Dharma is that we practice our religion and respect all other faiths. However, the people who are against Sanatana Dharma would prefer to denigrate Hinduism alone while validating all other faiths. Leaders who are attacking Sanatana Dharma have little understanding of a tradition that has been continuing perennially since time immemorial. They cannot comprehend the depth of it, nor would they be able to fathom its significance and the impact it has had across civilisations, cultures, and continents, least of all its universal and humanistic precepts.

Sanatana Dharma’s deep philosophy propagates Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam and holds the entire world as one family transcending all barriers, regions, religions, castes, colour, and gender. Swami Vivekananda articulated it eloquently at the Conference of Religions in Chicago in 1893, which has been put into action for the last nine years in India. Moreover, as Sanatana Dharma is not dogmatic and hence devoid of any rigidity, it provides a framework to continuously improve, innovate and improvise with the times. Today, the Prime Minister (PM) himself is from an OBC community and the cabinet has representation from backward and disadvantaged communities with over 27 OBCs, 12 SCs and STs.

Then how do we understand this hatred towards Sanatana Dharma? The Congress-led alliance’s resentment towards PM Narendra Modi has slowly transformed into hatred for everything that India is and stands for. This resentment has slowly evolved into hatred towards Sanatana Dharma and Hindu traditions. PM Modi epitomises Sanatana Dharma in practice, with unflinching determination to render justice to the marginalised, make India aatmanirbhar (self-reliant), and reposition India as vishwaguru (global teacher). The Congress and its allies oppose all of these.

The sinister designs of these parties are inimical to the interests of India. They cannot digest the fact that India is continuously mapping new heights in positioning itself as a global power. They cannot digest the fact that PM Modi spearheaded the move to include the African Union into the G20 as a permanent member thus giving the Global South a voice in one of the most influential multilateral groupings. Only a true practitioner of Sanatana Dharma can do this.

Today, Vasudhaiava Kutumbakam has become a global call to action, and Sanatana Dharma, the underlying philosophy, has received worldwide attention. The Congress and its allies cannot stomach this. Sanatana Dharma has withstood the test of time. Each time it faced a threat, it has emerged stronger. Mortals wishing the elimination of Sanatana Dharma will come and go, but dharma is eternal.

G Kishan Reddy is the Union minister of culture, tourism and development of northeastern region. The views expressed are personal