The onslaught on Sanathana Dharma just seems to never end in Tamil Nadu, as the ruling party, the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) has announced that the mention of Sanathana Dharma in school textbooks will be removed soon according to DMK education minister Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi.
According to the DMK, the mention of Sanathana Dharma should be removed from textbooks as it is against “scientific temper” after many pointed out that the textbook says Sanathana Dharma and Hindu Dharma are one and the same following Udhayanidhi Stalin’s call to “eradicate Sanathana Dharma” comments.
Udhayanidhi Stalin, son of Chief Minster MK Stalin in one of his speeches had called for the “eradicating Sanathana” and since then any attempt even by his own party members to tone down his rhetoric has fallen on deaf ears. However, what stung the DMK was when BJP leader K Annamalai pointed out from his official X handle that, “The Class 12 textbook released by TN Govt says that Sanatana Dharma & Hinduism are the same. It also mentions that Sanatana Dharma is the Eternal Dharma. We advise PK Sekar Babu & Udhayanidhi Stalin to enrol in this class to get enlightened.”
Thiru Udhayanidhi Stalin & Thiru Sekar Babu claimed that Hinduism & Sanatana Dharma are different after receiving condemnation from all quarters for their call to eradicate Sanatana Dharma.
— K.Annamalai (@annamalai_k) September 12, 2023
The Class 12 textbook released by TN Govt says that Sanatana Dharma & Hinduism are the… pic.twitter.com/cbVGDixJMg
It all started when someone pointed out that the 12th standard textbook published by the Tamil Nadu Textbook and Educational Services Corporation mentions that “Sanathana Dharma and Hinduism are one and the same”. BJP TN President K Annamalai also shared it and questioned Udhayanidhi’s and HRCE Mminister Sekar Babu’s stance.
This revelation had put the Dravidianists on a spot, who had been fooling Tamils that Sanathana Dharma is a different religion and they were not attacking Hindu Dharma and Hindus by calling for the former’s eradication. Once this was pointed out Dravidianists on social media called on the DMK government to remove the specific content from the textbook.
Senior Dravidar Kazhagam leader K Veeramani made the same demand saying, “It was a result of an unclear thought process of the previous regime. Unnecessary things should be found based on rationality and removed. One of the basic duties of the Indian constitution is to spread the scientific temper. As this is an obstacle to spreading the scientific temper, it should be removed”.
It has been alleged that the sudden outbursts by the DMK scion are the result of leaders like K Veeramani and Suba Veerapandian who seem to have more access to CM Stalin’s son’s thought process and the things Udhayanidhi Stalin has said recently.
As per the growing discourse within the DMK, the School Education Minister Anbil Mahesh has assured that content that says Sanathana Dharma and Hindu Dharma is the same and will be removed from textbooks in the next academic year. Also, any mention of “Sanathana is a Dharma and there is no discrimination in Varnashrama,” which is the exact opposite of what Udhayanidhi had said will be changed.
As per a Hindu Tamil report, so-called ‘social activists’ have taken exception and sought the removal of this content and blamed the AIADMK for bringing such changes to the curriculum in 2018. The education minister said, “The part about Sanathana is found in the textbook printed in 2018. As the syllabus is changed every five years, textbooks will be altered next year. We have appointed a committee to look into the issue.”
In Tamil Nadu, the DMK has always used education as a platform to further its ideology and indoctrinate people. Dravidian outfits often distribute anti-Hindu and pro-Periyarist materials in schools and colleges to influence young minds and at the same time give a lot of support to Christian educational institutions.
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