Blast actor Arjun Sarja counters Udhayanidhi Stalin: ‘Sanatan Dharma is a way of life’
The debate over Sanatan Dharma in Tamil Nadu has found a new voice, and this time it comes from the film industry. Actor Arjun Sarja talked about Sanatan Dharma at the pre-release event of Blast in Chennai, making his position clear without hesitation. For him, the argument against Sanatan Dharma rests on a misreading of what it actually is.
“Sanatan Dharma, from what I know, is a way of life. It teaches you how to behave, not to steal, and not to feel jealous. Sanatan Dharma reminds youngsters to take care of their parents like how they care for their children,” he said.
Arjun Sarja then turned the argument on its head with a pointed question for those calling for its removal. “If Sanatan Dharma shouldn’t be there, they should send their parents away. Is it possible?” he asked.
Before wrapping up, Arjun was careful to draw a line between religion and philosophy. “Sanatan Dharma is not a religion, it’s a way of life. If everyone understands that, it’d be nice. I have shared what I thought with you all,” he said.
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His remarks land in the middle of a political row that has been building for weeks. On May 13, DMK leader Udhayanidhi Stalin used the floor of the Tamil Nadu Assembly to repeat his long-held position. “Sanathanam, which separated people, should be eradicated,” he said, in comments that drew sharp reactions across party lines.
It was not the first time Stalin had made headlines on the subject. He had previously likened Sanatan Dharma to diseases such as dengue and malaria, remarks that triggered nationwide outrage and resulted in multiple court cases being filed against him. His return to the subject during the Assembly session showed he had not walked back his stance. Notably, Chief Minister Vijay, who was present in the House when the remarks were made, did not respond to the issue publicly.
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