Chennai (Tamil Nadu) : Amid the firestorm of protest over his son Udhayanidhi Stalin's rant against Sanatan Dharma, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin on Friday launched a scathing attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi saying his actions were in violation of the Constitution.

The Tamil Nadu CM, who was in Chennai on Friday to inaugurate 'Media Meet 2023', organised by Kerala Media Academy-Malayale Association, said, "Our diversity, secularism and social justice are in danger today. The country was founded on these ideals and by destroying them, they (BJP) are destroying the country. While we are standing up to this assault on the country at the political level, the media also has a vital role to play in saving the country as we know it."

Speaking at the event, CM Stalin said people should realise that Prime Minister Modi was acting against the Constitution.

"The Prime Minister took an oath to uphold and safeguard the ideals enshrined in the Constitution. However, his actions are unconstitutional. People across the country should come to a clear understanding of this and resist the attempts to destroy the country as we know it. I believe the people of Tamil Nadu and Kerala should unite and lead the fight to save the country and bring a new dawn. The media should not give too much play to their lies and tactics to divert public attention from the bread and butter issues," CM Stalin added.

The Centre's announcement of a Special Session of the Parliament from September 18 to 22 evoked outrage from the Opposition forces, who claimed that the decision was taken without taking them into confidence.

At the event, Stalin unveiled 'The Changing Mediascape', a book written by veteran journalist BRP Bhaskar.

He also launched a YouTube version of a documentary on another veteran journalist Shashi Kumar.

Speaking at a conference in Chennai last week, Udhayanidhi railed against 'Sanatanam' (Sanatan Dharma), equating it with "mosquitoes, dengue, malaria, fever and corona" and calling for it to be eradicated, as opposed to being merely opposed.

"A few things cannot only be opposed but should be abolished. We can't merely oppose dengue, mosquitoes, malaria, or corona. They have to be eradicated. Rather than just opposing Sanatana, it should be eradicated," Udhayanidhi, the minister for Sports and Youth Affairs in the Tamil Nadu government, said.

Coming to his son's defence amid the saffron fury over his remarks against 'Sanatan Dharma', CM Stalin posted on X, "Hon'ble Minister @UdhayStalindidn't call for 'genocide' as distorted by BJP, but only spoke against discrimination. Disheartening to see the 'responsible' Hon'ble Prime Minister, Union Ministers and BJP Chief Ministers ignore facts and driven on fake narratives despite having all access and resources to verify the facts."