A fresh political controversy has erupted in Tamil Nadu after Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) MLA VMS Mustafa openly declared that his party had joined the fight to “abolish Sanatana.” The statement has triggered strong reactions across the political spectrum and reignited the already heated debate surrounding Sanatana Dharma in the state.

Speaking to reporters, Mustafa said, “We too subscribe to the ideals of Periyar and Ambedkar. We, too, have entered the fray to abolish Sanatana.” His remarks immediately spread across social media platforms and political circles, drawing criticism from opposition leaders and Hindu organisations.

The controversy erupted just a day after DMK leader and Tamil Nadu Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin once again repeated his controversial stand on Sanatana Dharma during a debate in the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly on Tuesday, 12 May. During the discussion, Udhayanidhi said, “Sanatana Dharma, which divides people, must certainly be abolished.”

While speaking in the Assembly, Udhayanidhi also referred to the swearing-in ceremony of the newly formed government. He alleged that the Tamil Nadu state anthem had not been given due importance during the official sequence of events and had instead been pushed to the third position.

Mustafa’s endorsement of Udhayanidhi’s remarks intensified the political row almost instantly. Leaders from the Bharatiya Janata Party accused both the DMK and TVK of openly revealing what they described as an anti-Hindu political agenda.

Reacting sharply to the development, BJP Telangana vice president Shanthi Kumar accused TVK of exposing its “real agenda” after securing Hindu votes. In a post on X, he wrote, “TVK MLA Mustafa says they entered politics to destroy Sanatana, Udhayanidhi repeats the same old ‘eradicate Sanatan’ line, and silence from Vijay speaks volumes. Hindu votes were taken with folded hands, but now the real agenda is out in the open.”

The BJP’s criticism did not stop there. Party spokesperson CR Kesavan strongly condemned the statements and described them as a “toxic rant.” Launching a direct attack on Udhayanidhi Stalin, Kesavan said, “Udayanidhi Stalin is the Rahul Gandhi of Tamilnadu, peddling divisive hate politics. Rahul Gandhi mocked the sacred Sengol and he insulted & boycotted the Pran Prathishta ceremony of Ram Mandir.”

Annamalai Targets DMK and TVK Over Sanatana Dharma Debate

Tamil Nadu BJP president K. Annamalai also entered the controversy with a sharp political attack against both the DMK and TVK. On Thursday, Annamalai accused the two parties of harbouring hatred towards Hindu traditions and beliefs.

The BJP leader’s reaction came after Udhayanidhi Stalin reiterated his earlier comments on “Sanathanam” inside the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly, while TVK MLA V.M.S. Mustafa publicly backed those remarks soon afterwards. The sequence of events quickly escalated into a larger political confrontation in the state.

In a strongly worded post on X, Annamalai alleged that the statements made by leaders from both parties exposed their deep hostility towards Sanatana Dharma. He wrote, “DMK and TVK, in their very short history, have proven to the people that they are two sides of the same coin.”

He further claimed that both parties had deliberately hidden their ideological stand during election campaigns and revealed their “true intentions” only after receiving public support and votes. According to Annamalai, if the parties genuinely believed in their ideology, they should have openly declared during campaigning itself that opposing Sanatana Dharma would remain central to their politics.

Continuing his criticism, Annamalai accused both parties of taking shelter behind the language of secularism during elections while later insulting the faith of millions of Hindus. He warned that repeated attacks on Hindu traditions would not be ignored by the public.

In one of the sharpest remarks of the controversy, Annamalai declared, “Sanatana Dharma is not your punching bag,” and said he hoped such remarks would not go “unpunished by the people.”

The issue surrounding Udhayanidhi Stalin’s comments on Sanatana Dharma has remained one of the most politically sensitive debates in Tamil Nadu over the last two years. The BJP has repeatedly accused the DMK of hurting Hindu sentiments through such remarks, while the ruling party has defended its position by arguing that its criticism is aimed at caste discrimination and social inequality associated with certain interpretations of Sanatan practices, rather than individual religious beliefs.

The latest remarks by TVK MLA Mustafa have now added another dimension to the political battle. The BJP is attempting to project both the ruling DMK and Vijay-led TVK as parties sharing a similar ideological position against Hindu traditions and beliefs.

Earlier Remarks and Court Observations Return to Spotlight

The controversy has also revived discussions around Udhayanidhi Stalin’s earlier comments made in 2021, when he compared Sanatan Dharma to diseases such as dengue and malaria. Those remarks had triggered nationwide outrage and were strongly condemned by Hindu organisations and BJP leaders.

The legal and judicial dimension of the issue has once again come into focus as well. In January 2026, the Madras High Court’s Madurai Bench quashed an FIR filed against BJP leader Amit Malviya, who had been accused of distorting Udhayanidhi Stalin’s earlier comments.

In her judgement, Justice Justice S. Srimathy observed that Udhayanidhi’s speech amounted to “hate speech.” The court also highlighted the specific language used by the DMK leader during his remarks. Justice Srimathy pointed out that Udhayanidhi had not used the phrase “Sanatana ethirppu,” meaning opposition to Sanatana, but instead called for “Sanatana ozhippu,” which referred to the total eradication of the ideology.

As the controversy continues to grow, the political atmosphere in Tamil Nadu has once again become sharply polarised around questions of religion, caste politics, ideology, and freedom of expression. With both the DMK and TVK now facing sustained attacks from the BJP over the issue, the debate surrounding Sanatana Dharma appears set to remain a major political flashpoint in the state in the coming months.