Telangana Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan seized the ongoing dengue situation in Chennai as an opportunity to criticize the DMK government in Tamil Nadu amidst the 'Sanatana Dharma' controversy.
In a thinly veiled jibe at the ruling DMK government, Tamilisai Soundararajan remarked that the state authorities had been unsuccessful in addressing the dengue crisis themselves. This response came in the wake of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin's son, Udhayanidhi Stalin, stirring controversy by equating Sanatana dharma with "dengue" and "malaria," emphasizing the need not just to oppose it but to "eradicate" it.
Following her visit to the Srinivasa Perumal temple, the Telangana Governor expressed her concerns about a growing trend of disparagement towards spiritual practices in Tamil Nadu. While highlighting the statements made by DMK leaders regarding 'Sanatana Dharma,' Tamilisai Soundararajan raised questions about whether the DMK government would adopt a similar approach towards the religious practices of other faiths.
She emphasized that Sanatana Dharma is a way of life and noted that the government had pledged to eliminate it like dengue but had failed to control the dengue outbreak itself. She cited the case of Chennai City Corporation Commissioner Radhakrishnan contracting dengue, stating that even high-ranking officials had fallen victim to the disease, necessitating medical treatment.
Tamilisai Soundararajan questioned the selective application of 'freedom of speech' principles, highlighting that individuals who criticized the Tamil Nadu government on social media were often subject to arrest. She argued that it was unacceptable for a spiritual way of life, followed by the majority of people, to be continuously ridiculed and insulted under the pretext of freedom of speech.
Additionally, Tamilisai Soundararajan mentioned Chief Minister MK Stalin, noting that he had claimed to support various temple events but had not actively participated in any such programs.
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