Opposition wants to crush Sanatan, attack us across country, need to stop them: PM

Later, at a speech in Raigadh, Chhattisgarh, the PM made the same allegations against INDIA, saying: “They are conspiring against our country. Those kept out of the Centre for nine years and losing elections repeatedly have united to make INDIA. People must be cautious of them. They have decided to end Bharat and Sanatan Sanskriti. They want to break it just for the sake of coming to power.”

Modi dedicated rail sector projects worth around Rs 6,350 crore to Chhattisgarh before the public rally in Kodatarai village in Raigadh.

The charge against the Opposition by the PM over the Sanatan Dharma row comes days ahead of the special session of Parliament. BJP sources have told The Indian Express that the government hopes to blunt Opposition attacks in the House by using the row.

At the rally in Bina, MP, the PM said that while “our Bharat” has become “Vishwamitra”, “there are some alliances that are trying to divide the country and society”… “They have come together and made the INDIA alliance. Some people say this is a ghamandiya alliance. Their leaders are not yet decided, there is confusion in their leadership. At their Mumbai meeting… they decided on the policy and strategy… They have (also) decided their hidden agenda… attacking Indian culture. It is their intention to attack the faith of Indians and destroy the values, culture and traditions that have for thousands of years brought this country together,” Modi said.

He added that Sanatan Dharma had inspired India’s tallest freedom fighters and thinkers. “This ghamandiya alliance has come with the intention of ending Sanatan values and traditions which inspired Devi Ahilyabai Holkar, who worked for social causes, leading a campaign for women’s upliftment… It was the strength of this tradition that enabled Rani Lakshmi Bai of Jhansi to boldly declare to the British, ‘I will not give up my Jhansi’. It was Sanatan that Mahatma Gandhi embraced throughout his life, inspired by Lord Shri Ram, and those became his final words – Hey Ram. Sanatan inspired him (Gandhi) to start a movement against untouchability… this ghamandiya alliance wants to end that Sanatan tradition. It is the Sanatan tradition from which Swami Vivekananda drew strength to awaken people about various societal shortcomings. The INDIA alliance seeks to end that Sanatan tradition,” Modi said.

He went on to talk about Lokmanya Tilak, saying that inspired by Sanatan Dharma, he used Ganesh Puja to draw people together and into the freedom movement. “This is the same Sanatan that the INDIA alliance wants to destroy. My friends, the strength of Sanatan tradition was such that brave souls who faced the gallows in the freedom struggle would say, ‘In my next life, I want to be born again in the lap of Mother India, which is the embodiment of Sanatan culture’. The Sanatan tradition that is the identity of Mata Shabari, the foundation of Valmiki, and has connected India for thousands of years, is what these people want to break apart by joining forces.”

The BJP has been taking out Jan Ashirwad (public blessings) Yatras in MP, as part of an outreach programme to publicise the achievements of its state government.

In the closely poised contest in the state, where the state Congress has itself adopted a soft-Hindutva approach, the opening of the Sanatan Dharma front by Modi will give fresh ammunition to the BJP, as it fights anti-incumbency while racing to set the narrative for the elections.

Earlier, in an interaction with his ministers before the G20 Summit, the PM had told them to take on Opposition leaders strongly over the Sanatan Dharma row, triggered by remarks by a senior leader of INDIA ally DMK, Udhayanidhi Stalin.

Addressing an event recently, Stalin said: “(A) few things cannot be opposed; they should be abolished. We can’t oppose dengue, mosquitoes, malaria or corona, we have to eradicate them. In the same way, we have to eradicate Sanatan (Sanatan Dharma), rather than opposing it.”

The Congress hit back at Modi’s charge Thursday, accusing the PM of using a government function to deliver a political speech abusing the Opposition. “The PM is back to doing what he does best — insult,” Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh posted on X. “Look who’s talking! The man who uses the occasion of a government function to abuse the Opposition. Stooping to his level, one could easily say he heads the GA-NDA coalition – Gautam Adani’s NDA.”

The PM is back to doing what he does best—insult. He repeated his abuse of INDIA parties as so-called Ghamandia parties.

Look, who’s talking! The man who uses the occasion of a govt function to abuse the Opposition. Stooping to his level, one could easily say he heads the GA-NDA…

— Jairam Ramesh (@Jairam_Ramesh) September 14, 2023

In Chhattisgarh, while accusing INDIA of “destroying Sanatan Sanskriti”, Modi mentioned that the state was believed to be the home of Lord Ram’s mother Kaushalya. Invoking characters from the Ramayana, he said they had stood for equality, sacrifice, merit.

“Atalji (Atal Bihari Vajpayee) carved out Chhattisgarh and now I pray to you to give me an opportunity to make it advanced,” said Modi, promising to check sickle cell anaemia among tribals. “We will give sickle cell anemia cards and in three years help seven crore people. We will free tribals from sickle cell anemia.”

The PM accused the Congress government in Chhattisgarh of corruption, and claimed it had blocked Central government schemes such as PM Awas Yojna and Jal Jeevan Mission. “The government here works as an ATM for the Congress,” he said, adding that even cow dung had not been spared, referring to the Godhan Nyay Yojna of the state government.

Promising tribals a better price for their forest produce, Modi said his government’s priority was small farmers and talked about visiting G20 leaders being served millets like Kodo, Kutki and Ragi grown by farmers in Chhattisgarh.