The AIADMK, in its bid to woo minority votes ahead of the 2026 Tamil Nadu assembly elections, organised a Christmas celebration meeting featuring a pastor who delivered a sermon laced with disparaging remarks on Hinduism and veered into overt proselytizing. Among the most inflammatory comments was his mockery of Hindu prayers, deriding them as “Suklam Baradharam this and that,” which was a visible attemt to trivialize Hindu traditions while advocating for Christianity.
The 2026 Tamil Nadu state assembly elections are still more than a year away, but the Dravidian parties are already competing to secure the minority vote. The DMK scion and Deputy CM Udhayanidhi Stalin, who has not shied away from appealing to the Christian community, made headlines recently as he publicly declared, “I’m a Christian,” as the Christmas season approached. This move appears to have set a trend, with the AIADMK now following suit.
In a controversial turn of events, during an AIADMK meeting on 22 December 2024, to celebrate the upcoming Christmas season, a pastor was invited to participate and deliver a sermon. The meeting, organized by former AIADMK minister P Benjamin and Thiruvallur West District Secretary PV Ramana, quickly took an unexpected turn. While addressing the gathering, the pastor went beyond simply preaching Christian values and began advocating for Christian votes in favor of AIADMK.
What raised eyebrows was not just the sermon but the pastor’s remarks that seemed to disparage Hinduism, suggesting it was a religion marked by discrimination while presenting Christianity as the antidote. This attempt at “conversion peddling” in a political context has sparked controversy, significantly as AIADMK has distanced itself from the BJP and is trying to broaden its appeal among minority communities.
மாண்புமிகு கழக பொதுச் செயலாளர் மாண்புமிகு அண்ணன் திரு @EPSTamilNadu அவர்களின் ஆணைக்கிணங்க.,
திருவள்ளுர் மேற்கு மாவட்ட கழக செயலாளர் அண்ணன் திரு @ramanaa_bv அவர்களின் தலைமையில்..,
திருவள்ளூர் நகரில் கிறிஸ்துமஸ் பெருவிழா நடைபெற்றது,
இந்த நிகழ்ச்சியில் முன்னாள் அமைச்சர் (1/2) pic.twitter.com/XO0YFvOwCE
— AIADMK Thiruvallur West – Say No To Drugs & Dmk (@AdmkTvrlWest) December 22, 2024
During the AIADMK meeting, the pastor made several controversial remarks while delivering his sermon, which sparked considerable debate. He began by addressing the idea of religious identity, saying, “Raja is shouting ‘Hindu, Hindu…’ but he was named by a Christian.” He then continued, “First, there was Adam and Eve, that is Christianity, from there Islam, and then Hinduism. All of us are children of one mother! If we understood this, there will be no religious or caste-based violence in India.”
The pastor, continuing his narrative, criticized Hinduism based on the caste system and subtly advocated for embracing Christianity, indirectly hinting at conversion. He said, “In America, we can’t ask, ‘Naidu, how are you?’ In New Zealand, we can’t ask, ‘Mudhaliyar, how are you?’ There, it’s just black and white. But only in India do we see so much difference based on the Varna system.”
He then focused on praising Christianity, saying, “For all this, a God came to Earth to show love, and His name is Jesus Christ. He is Jesus Christ. And what does Jesus Christ say? He says, ‘Whoever comes to me, I will never cast out.’ He won’t cast you out. But if you go elsewhere, he will push you, and you will have to stand there. He will say, ‘Suklam baradharam this and that’ and you should go out. But here, you are welcome. Come till the last, come to the altar, come to the cross. I won’t push you away because I created you, I have love for you. Come to any corner, if you need this love, if you want to survive in this love, stand strong in it.”
The pastor then posed a provocative question to the crowd, asking, “In 2026, will you show this same love? Will you show it?” As he wrapped up his speech, he urged the audience to support Thiruvallur West District Secretary PV Ramana in the upcoming 2026 state assembly elections. The pastor further advised the audience to campaign for the candidate among voters, stating, “If our party’s General Secretary says we won’t have an alliance with the BJP, it is certain that in 2026, AIADMK will come to power under the leadership of Edappadi Palaniswami.”
The remarks, especially the comparison of religions and the call for votes, have led to criticism, with many viewing the pastor’s speech as not only an attempt at religious conversion but also as a political manoeuvre aimed at influencing the upcoming elections supporting the AIADMK sparked controversy.
தமிழ்நாட்டில் உருவாகிவரும் இந்து விரோத பேச்சுக்கள்.
நடவடிக்கை உண்டா?
திருவள்ளூரில் எடப்பாடி அணி நடத்திய கிறிஸ்துமஸ் நிகழ்ச்சியில்
பாதிரியார் ஒருவரின் சர்ச்சை பேச்சு.
இந்து மக்களே விழித்துகொள்ளுங்கள்
(Part 1/3) @HRajaBJP @hindumunnani_tn @asuvathaman @ponbalabjp @Agmarksanghi pic.twitter.com/FT8Td1TuQE— Prasanth26BJP ( Annamalai family) (@Prasanth26_BJP) December 23, 2024
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