Udhayanidhi Stalin refuses to apologise for remarks on Sanatana Dharma
Chennai: Tamil Nadu Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin has reiterated that he will not apologise for his controversial statements advocating the "eradication" of Sanatana Dharma. He clarified that his remarks were aimed at addressing what he called the repressive practices against women. Stalin, a leader of the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), said his words were misinterpreted, leading to the controversy that began in September 2023.
Speaking at an event on Monday, Udhayanidhi highlighted that his views were in line with the beliefs of prominent Dravidian leaders such as Periyar, former Chief Minister CN Annadurai, and his grandfather, M Karunanidhi. "Women were historically denied education, confined to their homes, and forced to die if their husbands passed away. Periyar spoke against these practices, and I echoed what Periyar, Anna, and Kalaignar stood for," he said.
In September 2023, Udhayanidhi, the son of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin, sparked controversy after comparing Sanatana Dharma to diseases like "dengue" and "malaria" and calling for its eradication. He argued that Sanatana Dharma was opposed to social justice and equality, a statement that led to widespread backlash, especially from the BJP and Hindu organisations, resulting in legal cases being filed against him.
Despite the criticism, Udhayanidhi maintained that his remarks were misrepresented. "They asked me to apologise, but I stand by what I said. I am the grandson of Kalaignar, and I will not apologise," he asserted, vowing to face the legal challenges.
The Deputy Chief Minister also accused the central government of attempting to impose Hindi in Tamil Nadu, citing the omission of certain words from the state anthem during a recent Doordarshan Tamil programme as evidence. He urged new parents to choose Tamil names for their children, as a way of resisting the imposition of Hindi through policies such as the new education system.
Udhayanidhi, who previously served as the state's sports minister, was appointed Deputy Chief Minister on September 30, 2024. His elevation was reportedly delayed due to the controversy surrounding his Sanatana Dharma remarks.
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Hazrat Nizamuddin-bound Vande Bharat Express gets delayed by 11 hours; passengers protest
Bhopal, Nov 25: High drama was witnessed at Rani Kamalapati railway station in Bhopal after the Vande Bharat Express for Hazrat Nizamuddin in Delhi was delayed on Monday by nearly 11 hours due to a technical snag, officials and eyewitnesses said.
Before the premium train, which otherwise departs from Rani Kamalapati station at 5.40 am, left for its destination in the evening, angry passengers staged a protest on railway tracks alleging they had not been intimated about the delay.
As a result of the delay, the Vande Bharat Express (20172) from Hazrat Nizamuddin to Rani Kamalapati station was cancelled on Monday evening. Similarly, the Vande Bharat Express (20171) from Kamalapati to Nizamuddin stands cancelled on Tuesday, Jabalpur-based West Central Railway (WCR) Chief Public Relation Officer Harshit Shrivastava told PTI when contacted over phone.
The semi-high speed train left for its destination in the evening instead of its scheduled time in the morning, WCR's Acting Public Relation Officer (Bhopal Division) Naval Agrawal confirmed to PTI.
Agrawal, however, maintained he does not know the exact departure time, but eyewitnesses said the train left for Hazrat Nizamuddin at around 4.30 pm, nearly 11 hours late.
The train was delayed due to technical reasons, he said, adding passengers were kept in the loop via different mediums, including train-related apps, about the delay.
Many passengers boarded the Vande Bharat Express (20171) headed to Nizamuddin, he said.
The Railways did not cancel the train on Monday keeping the interest of passengers in mind, the acting PRO emphasised.
Agrawal said the rail yard at Rani Kamalapati station (formerly Habibganj) was well equipped and has the expertise to repair and do maintenance work of the new-age Vande Bharat trains.
According to eyewitnesses, passengers who turned up at Rani Kamalapati station protested after the train did not depart for Hazrat Nizamuddin at its scheduled time of 5.40 am.
Some of the passengers, after a long wait, tried to entered the Shatabdi Express (which goes to New Delhi) at around 3.10 pm, but were pushed back by Railway Protection Force personnel, they said.
A group of angry passengers with backpacks then squatted on the tracks in protest, the eyewitnesses added.
The Vanda Bharat Express (20172), upon returning from Hazrat Nizamuddin to Rani Kamlaapati station at around 10.20 pm on Sunday, suffered a technical malfunction as a spring of C11 coach went kaput, sources said.
The train was taken to the yard for repair, but the snag could not be fixed in time, thus delaying its early morning departure, they explained.
वंदे भारत जैसी ट्रेनों का कोई भी मोबाइल एप्लिकेशन सही समय ही नहीं बतापा राहा है तो कैसी चलेगी रेलवे?? 8 hrs already delayed
— Ankit Swarnkar (@swarnkar_ankit) November 25, 2024
Train number 20171 Rani kamlapati to Hazrat Nizamuddin station @IRCTCofficial @AshwiniVaishnaw @ntes @irctcnorthzone pic.twitter.com/P9J7lyexW5
