Tamil Nadu Minister SS Sivasankar courts controversy says "No historical record of Lord Ram's existence", BJP slams minister

Ariyalur (Tamil Nadu) [India], August 3 : Tamil Nadu Transport Minister and DMK leader SS Sivasankar has sparked controversy with a statement about Lord Ram, claiming that there is no historical evidence to prove Lord Ram's existence.
Speaking at Chola Emperor Rajendra Chola's birth anniversary event in Ariyalur, Sivasankar said, "We must celebrate the birthday anniversary of our great ruler Rajendra Chola, who made our land proud. We should celebrate his birthday; otherwise, people may be compelled to celebrate something that has no connection or evidence to them."
"To show that Rajendra Chola lives on, there are ponds constructed by him, temples built by him, and his name is mentioned in scripts, sculptures, and other artefacts. We have history and evidence for it, but there is no evidence or historical record of Lord Ram's existence. They call him (Ram) an avatar. An avatar can't be born. It is being done to manipulate us, hide our history, and present another history as superior," he further added.
The birthday anniversary of Chola Emperor Rajendra Chola was celebrated by the Ariyalur district administration and the Tamil Nadu Tourism Department on August 2, in Ariyalur district.
All government officials, including Transport Minister Sivasankar and District Collector Rathnaswamy, participated in the programme.
Reacting to the remark made by the Tamil Nadu Transport Minister, Tamil Nadu BJP president K Annamalai questioned DMK's "sudden obsession with Bhagwan Shri Ram."
"DMK's sudden obsession with Bhagwan Shri Ram is truly a sight to behold--who would've thought? Just last week, DMK's Law Minister Thiru Raghupathy declared that Bhagwan Shri Ram was the ultimate champion of social justice, the pioneer of secularism, and the one who proclaimed equality for all," Annamalai said in a post on X.
https://x.com/annamalai_k/status/1819315927454044540
"Fast forward to today, and we have the scam-tainted DMK Transport Minister, Thiru Shiva Shankar, boldly asserting that Lord Ram never existed, claiming it's all a ploy to erase the Cholan history. Isn't it fascinating how quickly DMK leaders' memories fade? Weren't they the same folks who opposed our Hon PM Thiru @narendramodi for installing the Chola Dynasty Sengol in the new Parliament Complex?" he added in the post.
"It's almost comical that the DMK, a party that seems to think Tamil Nadu's history started in 1967, has suddenly discovered a love for the nation's rich culture and history. Perhaps it's time for DMK Ministers Thiru Raghupathy and Thiru Shiva Shankar to sit down, debate, and reach a consensus on Lord Ram. We're confident that Thiru Shiva Shankar could learn a thing or two about Bhagwan Shri Ram from his colleague," he further added in the post on X.
DMK had earlier found itself at the centre of a massive controversy when Minister Udhyanidhi Stali had made disparaging remarks about Sanatana Dharma in a speech.