Udhayanidhi Stalin clarifies Sanatan Dharma remark and doubles down on equal rights over inequality

He says his target was caste, not temples

DMK leader Udhayanidhi Stalin has clarified his controversial remarks about “abolishing” Sanatan Dharma after sparking a fresh uproar in Tamil Nadu. He said he meant ending the caste system that divides people into upper and lower castes, arguing it would not stop anyone from visiting temples. In an X post, he said his position is rooted in Dravidian movement ideas and the principles of Periyar, Ambedkar, Anna and Kalaignar, opposing inequality and oppression.