DMK MP A Raja: On the eve of the Pran Pratistha ceremony to be held in Ayodhya, Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) MP A Raja has given a controversial statement. He said on Sunday (January 21) that Tamil Nadu does not need Hindu nationalism, but Dravidian nationalism and Tamil nationalism.
“We are separated in the name of caste and you (BJP) are trying to unite us in the name of religion. We want to unite in the name of religion as per the law,” news agency ANI quoted the DMK leader as saying. We are, but we don’t want to be Hindus as you say.”
‘We do not want Hindu nationalism’
Speaking at a meeting in Salem, Tamil Nadu, A Raja said on Sunday (January 12) that religion can never become nationalism, but language can become nationalism. He said, “We do not need Hindu nationalism. We need Dravidian nationalism and Tamil nationalism.”
‘BJP wants Hindu nation’
He took a jibe at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and said that it wants a Hindu nation. A Raja said, “Today they talk about a Hindu nation. Earlier there was no nation in the name of religion. Pakistan separated from India because Savarkar said it was a Hindu nation, so Jinnah had said that they Want an Islamic nation and separated (from India).”
It is noteworthy that last week, party chief MK Stalin’s son Udhayanidhi Stalin had said that DMK does not agree to build a temple after demolishing a mosque. According to news agency PTI, the DMK Youth Wing chief, referring to the demolition of Babri Masjid in 1992, said, “We have no problem with building a temple there. We do not agree with the construction of a temple after demolishing the mosque.”
Allegation of banning telecast of Pran Pratistha program
Meanwhile, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman accused the Stalin government of banning the live telecast of the Pran Pratistha program to be held in Ayodhya. However, the state government says that BJP is trying to divert public attention from DMK’s youth program with such statements.