Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Thursday said several attacks in the past on the Sanatan Dharma failed to inflict any damage on it, and it will not be harmed today also by any power hungry "parasitic creatures".
His statement comes amid a controversy that started after the DMK leader Udhayanidhi Stalin allegedly made anti-Sanatan Dharma remarks.
"The Sanatan that Ravana's arrogance failed to erase, the Sanatan that Kansa's roar failed to shake, and the Sanatan that Babur and Aurangzeb's atrocities could not annihilate, will that Sanatan be erased by these petty power hungry parasitic creatures," Adityanath said in a four-line verse in an X post in which he also shared a video of his statement.
He was speaking at a cultural programme at the Police Lines on the occasion of Janmashtami.
In his remarks, Stalin had allegedly said the Sanatan Dharma is against equality and social justice, Purportedly likening it to coronavirus and malaria, he had said such things should not be opposed but destroyed.
Without taking any name, Adityanath said pointing a finger at the Sanatan Dharma amounts to making a malicious attempt to put humanity in trouble.
He described Sanatan Dharma as a source of energy like the Sun. "Only a fool can think of spitting at the Sun, for it will naturally come back to the face of the person who spits."
Taking a jibe at the opposition parties, the CM said their future generations will live in utter shame because of their misdeeds. He emphasised that one must feel proud of India's tradition.
"All those who tried to destroy the God were destroyed themselves. Sanatan was insulted 500 years ago. Today, a Ram temple is being built in Ayodhya. The opposition is trying to do petty politics, trying to create hinderance in India's progress. But it won't work," he said.
"In every era, there have been attempts to falsify the truth. Didn't Ravana try to lie? Before that, didn't Hiranyakashyap try to insult the God and Sanatan Dharma? Didn't Kansa challenge the divine authority? But, they were all destroyed in their malicious attempts. Let's not forget that the Sanatan Dharma is the eternal truth. It can't be harmed," the CM said.
Wishing people on the occasion of Shri Krishna Janmashtami, he said Lord Krishna was born as an incarnation of Lord Vishnu to establish religion, truth and justice.