Chennai: A new wave of controversy has erupted in India as a seer Ramchandra Das Paramhans Acharya of Ayodhya’s Tapasvi Chhawani Temple offered a staggering ₹10 crore reward for the beheading of Tamil Nadu Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin.
This startling development comes in response to Udhayanidhi's recent remarks about Sanatana Dharma, causing a nationwide debate over freedom of speech and religious sensitivities.
Udhayanidhi Stalin, a member of the DMK party, spoke at a Sanatanam (Sanatana Dharma) Abolition Conclave on September 2, where he remarked, "I congratulate the organizers for calling the conference 'eradication of Santana dharma' instead of 'opposing Sanatana Dharma.'"
He compared the need to eradicate certain issues to the eradication of Sanatanam, sparking outrage among BJP leaders and right-wing groups who interpreted it as advocating for the genocide of Sanatana Dharma followers.
In response to Udhayanidhi's comments, Seer Ramchandra Das Paramhans Acharya released a video on September 4, announcing the ₹10 crore reward for anyone willing to behead the Tamil Nadu Minister.
Udhayanidhi questioned the seer's financial capacity to offer such a substantial sum, to which the seer retorted, "I am the owner of ₹500 crore, and paying ₹10 crore is nothing for me."
Showing his commitment to the reward, Seer Ramchandra Das Paramhans Acharya set fire to a photo of Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin and then symbolically 'beheaded' the image with a sword.
He even stated that he would carry out the act himself if no one dared to do so.
This is not the first time Seer Ramchandra Das Paramhans Acharya has courted controversy. He has previously made similar announcements, including offering rewards for comments made by political leaders and celebrities.
In 2020, he threatened to take 'Jal Samadhi' in the river Sarayu if Prime Minister Narendra Modi didn't declare India as a 'Hindu Rashtra' by October 2, 2021, although he later called it off.
In response to these threats, security has been heightened at Minister Udhayanidhi's residence in Chennai, as he reportedly received numerous threats over his remarks.
The Minister clarified that he did not call for genocide and pointed out that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had frequently called for a 'Congress Mukt Bharat,' but that did not mean advocating for violence against Congress leaders. He accused the BJP of twisting facts and using it as a "regular habit."