Chennai (Tamil Nadu) : Hitting out at Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for creating an issue out of the 'Sanatan Dharma' remark by Tamil Nadu Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin, Chief Minister and DMK leader MK Stalin termed the party as "expert in diverting real issues".

In a letter to the DMK party cadre, CM Stalin also requested them to understand the BJP's "motive" and not deviate from real issues.

"Add power to INDIA alliance by speaking more about the corruption of the BJP government, State Autonomy, Anti Democracy activities, Anti State Rights, and hate politics of the BJP. Understand the BJP's motive and break their lies. People know that the BJP is an expert in diverting the small issues with bad intentions from the real issues with the help of the media," the chief minister said in his letter to the party cadre.

He further took a jibe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi and said his cabinet focuses on Santan Dharma by spreading "false narratives" while the PM remains "silent on issues affecting the common man". 

"While the Prime Minister remains silent on everyday issues impacting the common man, his cabinet focuses on #SanatanaDharma by spreading false narratives and fuelling them with support from a few media outlets. PM Modi never opens his mouth about any problems in the country," Stalin said.

CM Stalin also alleged that the Sanatan Dharma topic was turned into an issue to confuse people and "hide the failures" of the BJP.

"Some or the other minister is speaking something randomly on Sanatan Dharma every day which is being turned into a topic for debate to confuse people and hide the failures of the BJP. We should not let them get away with these tactics," he said.

Further, the DMK leader said, "I urge our DMK leaders and cadre not to react to such diversion tactics and to continue posing questions to the BJP on #ManipurViolence, #AdaniHindenburg, a whopping 7.50 lakh crore rupees flagged in the #CAGreport, and other pressing issues, along with highlighting 9-year failures of the BJP. We will keep on posing questions, and so will #INDIA."

Stalin also claimed that the BJP "fears" INDIA bloc.

"BJP is functioning in a fascist way by not respecting state people's sentiments. After the formation of the INDIA coalition, BJP is in fear. BJP government days are counting," he said.

Speaking at a conference earlier in Chennai, Udhayanidhi, the minister for Sports and Youth Affairs in the Tamil Nadu government, railed against Sanatan Dharma, equating it with "dengue, malaria, fever, and corona".

He added that Sanatan Dharma shouldn't be merely opposed but eradicated.

Later, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, chairing a meeting of the Council of Ministers, weighed in on the furore around Udhayanidhi's remarks, and, according to sources, asked his ministers to aggressively counter the attack on Sanatan Dharma.

He advised his ministers to counter the Opposition's narrative on the Sanatan Dharma with facts.

The storm created by "Sanatana Dharma" created a political slugfest in the country. The political rival NDA and INDIA alliance are taking a potshot at each other after the DMK leader equated 'Sanatana Dharma' with "mosquitoes, dengue, malaria, fever and corona".