In a verbal exchange that highlights the ongoing debate surrounding the Ayodhya Ram Temple, Bharatiya Janata Party’s National Mahila Morcha president and Coimbatore South MLA, Vanathi Srinivasan, has posed a challenge to Tamil Nadu’s State Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin. S hy e took a dig at Udhayanidhi Stalin’s recent remarks about the temple’s construction site, asserting that the Ram temple was demolished centuries ago, and a mosque was subsequently built on the same grounds.
Addressing the media, Vanathi Srinivasan emphasized that it is essential to understand the historical context, stating, ‘One should understand that the Ram temple was demolished several hundred years ago, and a mosque was built on it.’ This statement is a direct response to Udhayanidhi Stalin’s earlier clarification that the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) is not against the Ram temple but opposes its construction at the specific site where the Babri Masjid once stood.
She went on to suggest that the DMK should participate in the consecration event of the temple, as she believes ‘true equality’ has been achieved by erecting a temple at the contested site.
Switching gears to the traditional bull-taming sport of Jallikattu in Tamil Nadu, Srinivasan emphasised its connection to Santana Dharma, stating, ‘The bull-taming sport is part of Santana Dharma. It cannot be separated from our temples.’