"Anyone can speak about anything democratically but...": Priyank Kharge on Udhayanidhi's death threat

New Delhi [India], September 5 : Cabinet Minister in Government of Karnataka, Priyank Kharge on Tuesday spoke on death threat to TN Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin for 'Sanatan Dharma' remark and said that if you issue death threat and put a bounty on them of 10 crore just for saying something, how different are you from the other radicals.
Speaking to ANI on Ayodhya Seer Paramhans Acharya's death threat to Stalin, Priyank Kharge said, "This is the beauty of India, anyone can speak about anything democratically but they do have to keep everyone's sentiments in mind. But if you are going to issue a death threat to anybody who says anything, what is the difference between you and the other radicals? You are proving them right."
"Just because somebody said something, and you are going to issue death threat and put a bounty on them of 10 crore, how different are you from the other radicals? Doesn't your religion teach mercy, or equality?" he said further.
Reiterating the death warning against Tamil Nadu Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin over his "eradicate Sanatan Dharma" remark, Ayodhya Seer Paramhans Acharya on Tuesday said that "if required, I myself will behead MK Stalin's son, and I will also increase the bounty of Rs 10 crore if that is not enough for beheading him."
"I would like to tell him to first read the history of Sanatan Dharma and then comment against it. He should apologise for whatever he has said against our Sanatan Dharma, and if he does not apologise, no matter if he is the son of a chief minister, he will get the punishment. If his head doesn't get beheaded, I will increase the bounty; if at all required, I will myself behead him, Paramhans Acharya said, adding, "Whatever development has taken place in the country is because of 'Sanatana Dharma'. He should apologise for his statement. He has hurt the sentiments of 100 crore people in the country."
On Monday, Paramhans Acharya announced a reward of Rs 10 crore for beheading the DMK leader over his remarks against 'Sanatan Dharma. "I will pay a Rs 10 crore cash reward to anyone who beheads Stalin and brings his head to me," he said.
When questioned on Kharge's reiteration of the Stalin statement on the 'Sanatan Dharma' remark, the cabinet minister said that he believes in his constitution.
"I merely said what I stand for. I stand for the constitution, I believe in the constitution. My religion is a constitution because it preserves the dignity of a human-being, it preaches equality and it preaches for the equal economic and social rights. That's all I stand for. So it does not matter to me what anybody is saying or thinking," Kharge told ANI.
Speaking on his social media war with BL Santosh over Sanatan Dharma remark, Kharge said, "I'm glad that B.L Santosh agreed that there is an infection in the society that needs to be addressed. It is already been addressed by the constitution and the only problem is that certain people don't believe in it. If they believe in it, they will have a more equitable society. That is all have I said."
When questioned about his opinion on the 'One Nation, One Election' the Karnataka minister said that it was a diversion from the INDIA alliance.
"One nation, one election is nothing but a diversion from the INDIA alliance. There is a huge requirement of the security deployment, have they spoken about that? What about the cost, an additional cost of 10,000 crore is needed. For what are you doing this, just to fulfill one man's fantasy?" he stated.
"Are you going to ensure the whole nation suffers for that? In 1967 that happened, there was a reason for that because everything was working with uniformity," he added.
"Does BJP really believe in the "One nation, one election" Whats happening in Maharashtra, what happened earlier in Karnataka. Who is forcing these bye-elections. If your mandate is favourable to you, it is good. If not favourable to you, it is a manufactured mandate you want to get," Kharge told ANI.
Earlier DMK leader Udhayanidhi Stalin on Saturday said that Sanatan Dharma should not merely be opposed but eradicated.
“Few things cannot be opposed, they should only be abolished. We can't oppose Dengue, mosquitoes, Malaria, or coronavirus, we have to eradicate them. In the same way, we have to eradicate Sanatana (Sanatan Dharma). Rather than merely opposing Sanatana, it should be eradicated,” he said.
Several leaders of the Indian diaspora came down on the DMK leader and condemned his remarks.