Destroying Sanatana does not mean people should not go to temples, says Udhayanidhi Stalin

The Leader of the Opposition in the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly, Udhayanidhi Stalin, leaves after a meeting of the DMK’s district secretaries in Chennai on May 14, 2026. | Reacting to criticism of his speech in the Tamil Nadu Assembly, where he had, on Wednesday (May 13, 2026), said, “Sanatana that divides people should be destroyed”, Mr. Udhayanidhi insisted he would not be cowed down by such criticism.“The Dravidian movement faced opposition and emerged stronger,” he said.Mr. Udhayanidhi said equal rights should be given to everyone, not only in temples but in society as a whole. “I only said that what divides people into upper castes and lower castes should be destroyed. I merely echoed the views of Periyar E. V. Ramasamy (social reformer), B. R. Ambedkar (architect of the Indian Constitution) and C. N. Annadurai (former Chief Minister),” he said. Published - May 15, 2026 01:00 am IST