Stand in Solidarity with Udhayanidhi Stalin’s Call for ‘Eradication of Sanatana Dharma’
CPI (ML) Red Star
The political controversy around Tamil Nadu minister Udhayanidhi Stalin’s comparison of ‘sanatana dharma’ with malaria and dengue together with his call for its eradication is still going on without any let up. Obviously, BJP and saffron forces, the biggest proponents of ‘Sanatana Dharma’ or ‘Hindutva’ today have raised the staunchest criticism against it. Mahant Paramhans Das of Tapaswi Chhavni of Ayodhya, for instance, after symbolically beheading Udhayanidhi Stalin on September 4, went to the extent of announcing a cash reward of Rs. 10 crore for anyone who behead him. Thus, the Mahant, the religious superior of Hinduism himself has unraveled the true essence of ‘sanatana dharma’.
In fact, Stalin is not the first to challenge the so called sanatana dharma. Almost all anti-caste leaders and social reformers of India including Periyar and Ambedkar were staunchest critics of caste-ridden sanatana dharma whose ideological roots lay deep in Manusmriti. As such, together with myths, superstitions, and rituals, the most inhuman caste system that accords subhuman status to the untouchable Dalits and women is the essence of sanatana Dharma. Hence in 1922 itself, vehemently opposing the Brahmanical caste system, Periyar in Tamil Nadu had come forward exposing sanatana dharma, the essence of which being caste used by Brahmins to keep the vast majority of the people in perpetual and eternal servitude. Thus, Periyar strongly renounced Manusmriti which is the basis of sanatana dharma. Ambedkar went further and in 1927 he burnt Manusmriti which stood for unflinching observance of sanatana dharma. Ambedkar had no qualm in calling for a liquidation of sanatana dharma or “Hinduism” which according to him was a “veritable chamber of horrors” with its hierarchical varna-caste system. Therefore, Udhayanidhi Stalin was just repeating what the great anti-caste leaders have already said and done.
However, today Stalin’s statement against the Brahmanical caste system comes at a critical juncture when RSS, world’s longest-running and biggest fascist organisation which pleaded for making Manusmriti as Indian Constitution in the late 1940s, now through its political tool BJP, has already established it’s firm grip over India’s state power as well as street power including the entire civil and military administration and even penetrating in to the judicial system of India. The letter addressed to Chief Justice of India by 260 persons comprising retired judges, bureaucrats and military officers to intiative suo motu contempt proceedings against TN for failing to take action against minister, Udhayanidhi Stalin for his remarks about Sanatana Dharma is a clear manifestation of the total stranglehold of saffron sanatana dharma over the Indian social fabric today. As asserted by Periyar and Ambedkar, India cannot become a democratic society unless this reactionary offensive is resisted and defeated.
At this Manuvadi fascist situation, it is high time on the part of all anti-caste, democratic and progressive forces to unite in solidarity with Udhayanidhi Stalin for his historically correct bold statement. We appeal to all anti-caste democratic forces to take up this issue, which is one of India”s central political questions, as an important point of discussion in the 5th All India Conference of Caste Annihilation Movement which is scheduled in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu on October 14 and 15, 2023.
P J James
General Secretary
CPI (ML) Red Star
New Delhi
6th September 2023
