'I will increase bounty': Ayodhya seer reiterates death threat against Stalin over ‘Sanatan Dharma’ remark

Ayodhya seer Paramhans Acharya on Tuesday promised to increase the reward from the earlier announced Rs 10 crore bounty 'for Udhayanidhi Stalin's head' after the DMK leader stirred a controversy by talking about the need to eradicate Sanatan Dharma.

Stalin, the Tamil Nadu youth welfare minister, alleged that 'Sanatan Dharma' is against equality and social justice, and that it should be eradicated. He also likened 'Sanatan Dharma' to coronavirus, malaria, and dengue fever and said such things should not be opposed but destroyed.

"If Rs 10 crore is not enough for beheading him (Udhayanidhi), I will increase the reward. If at all required, I myself will behead him, but the insult of 'Sanatan Dharma' will not be tolerated," the Ayodhya seer told news agency ANI, while reiterating his death threat to Udhayanidhi Stalin, the minister of the ruling DMK government.

He also asked Udhayanidhi to apologise for his statement adding that the minister hurt the sentiments of 100 crore people in the country.

"Whatever development has taken place in the country is because of 'Sanatan Dharma'. He should apologise for his statement," Paramhans Acharya said.

Meanwhile, Udhayanidhi stated that he is ready to repeat whatever he said at the Abolish Sanatan Dharma conference, and he is not afraid of such threats. He said that he was very well aware of the consequences and reactions that would follow his statement.

The BJP on Tuesday likened the DMK leader's controversial comments to Hitler's characterisation of Jews.

"Uday Stalin's meditated comment is unadulterated hate speech and a call for genocide of 80 per cent population of Bharat, who follow Sanatan Dharma. Congress and I.N.D.I Alliance support for Stalin's bile is most disconcerting," the BJP posted on X.

The party alleged that there is an eerie similarity between how Hitler characterised the Jews and how Udhayanidhi Stalin described Sanatan Dharma.

"Like Hitler, Stalin Jr also demanded, that Sanatan Dharma be eradicated We know how Nazi hate culminated in Holocaust, killing approx 6 million European Jews and at least another 5 million Soviet prisoners of war and other victims," it said.

(With agency inputs)