'No one should hurt the sentiment of people': WB CM Mamata Banerjee on Udhayanidhi Stalin's remark on Sanatan Dharma

Reacting to DMK leader Udhayanidhi Stalin’s comment on Sanatan Dharma, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday said that “no one should make comments that hurt the sentiments of people.”

“I respect Stalin but every religion has separate sentiments. India is about ‘Unity in Diversity’ which is our origin. We should not be involved in any matter which might hurt a section of people,” Banerjee told PTI.

VIDEO | “Every religion has separate sentiments. India is about ‘Unity in Diversity’ which is our origin. We should not be involved in any matter which might hurt a section of people,” says West Bengal CM @MamataOfficial amid controversy over DMK leader Udhayanidhi Stalin’s… pic.twitter.com/TiJhUvHQjU

— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) September 4, 2023

When asked if she would condemn Stalin’s “Sanatan Dharma should be eliminated” comment, the TMC leader said, “Instead of saying condemn, my humble request to everybody is that we should not comment on anything which may hurt the major or small section of people.”

VIDEO | “Instead of saying condemn, my humble request to everybody that we should not comment anything which may hurt the major or small section of people,” says West Bengal CM @MamataOfficial when asked whether she condemns DMK leader @Udhaystalin‘s ‘Sanatan Dharma’ remark. pic.twitter.com/nHDdyercr5

— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) September 4, 2023

Udhayanidhi Stalin’s comment has created a lot of stir with Rights body Legal Rights Observatory (LRO) issuing a legal notice to the Police Commissioner of Greater Chennai for suo motu registering an FIR against him for delivering “hate speech” targeting the followers of Sanatan Dharma.

Stalin, who serves as a Tamil Nadu minister, on Saturday, made a controversial statement on ‘Sanatan Dharma’ saying that it is incompatible with the concept of social justice and should be “eliminated.”

He drew a parallel between Sanatan Dharma and vector-borne diseases like dengue and malaria, which has led to strong criticism from BJP leaders.