Gandhis not condemning Stalin's Sanatan Dharma remark amounts to endorsement: Pralhad Joshi

Union Minister Pralhad Joshi said Wednesday the Congress party and the Gandhi family must condemn DMK leader Udhayanidhi Stalin's remarks on the Sanatan Dharma if they really believe in equal respect for all religions as their silence will amount to endorsing the controversial comments.

Speaking to reporters, Joshi said Congress leader and Karnataka minister Priyank Kharge also supported Stalin's comments. He demanded condemnation from senior Congress leaders including Sonia and Rahul Gandhi for these remarks.

Taking on opposition leaders, he said they don't have the "courage" to criticise other religions even though they have shown little reform over centuries. Many things have changed in the Sanatan Dharma, he said, in an apparent reference to reforms in Hinduism.


"There are many religions which even now have not changed but you don't have the courage to speak a word about them," he said.

Stalin had recently called for "eradicating" Sanatan Dharma as he blamed it for promoting inequality and division in society and likened it to diseases like malaria and dengue.

"I will like to ask Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi, who is trying to do politics over Parliament's session, that if you are really interested in sarva dharma sambhav then you must condemn the statement of Stalin. Otherwise the county will believe that you are endorsing his statement," Joshi said.