New Delhi: Kerala Chief Minister has stoked a fresh controversy by making strong remarks against Sanatana Dharma, citing an instance from Mahabharata. “King of Travancore, Marthanda Varma, envisioned a country for Sanatana Dharma and initiated reforms. Even today, we hear terms like ‘Sanatana Hindutva’ in Indian politics. This term is dear to monarchs and communal elements who, through it, seek to enforce Brahmanism and monarchy. What more proof is required?” asked the Chief Minister, while inaugurating the 92nd Sivagiri Pilgrimage at Varkala. 

While addressing at Sivagiri Pilgrimage, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said,”We are living in a time when “Sanatana Hindutva” is being promoted as something supremely noble and glorious, and its reinstatement is being portrayed as the only solution to all social problems. The primary slogan they highlight as its emblem is “Lokah Samastah Sukhino Bhavantu” — a wish for the well-being of all. The meaning of this phrase is undoubtedly positive — a wish for universal happiness. There is no reason to oppose such a sentiment. It is indeed a lofty concept. But the claim that only Hindutva has ever presented such an exemplary slogan to the world is part of their narrative. This is the argument they present to glorify their ideology…”

He stated,”Sanatana Dharma is synonymous with or inseparable from the Varnashrama Dharma, which is based on the Chaturvarna system. What does this Varnashrama Dharma uphold? It glorifies hereditary professions. But what did Sree Narayana Guru do? He called for defiance of hereditary professions. How, then, can Guru be an advocate of Sanatana Dharma? Guru’s ascetic life was a constant questioning and defiance of the Chaturvarna system. How can someone who proclaimed, “One Caste, One Religion, One God for humankind” be an advocate of Sanatana Dharma, which is rooted in the confines of a single religion? Guru championed a dharma that opposed the caste system. In India, three streams have historically engaged with Sanatana Dharma—adhering to it, questioning it with skepticism, or challenging and defying it. Guru represents the third stream. The Mahabharata, a cultural product of the transitional period when tribal systems gave way to caste systems, itself refrains from providing a definitive answer to what constitutes dharma, instead raising questions of doubt…”

“There is an organized effort underway to portray Sree Narayana Guru as the advocate and proponent of Sanatana Dharma. However, Guru was neither an advocate nor a proponent of Sanatana Dharma. Instead, he was a great sage who transcended it, dismantling its rigid framework and proclaiming a new-age dharma suited for modern times. What is implied by Sanatana Dharma? It is none other than the Varnashrama Dharma. Guru’s new-age humanitarian dharma challenged and went beyond this Varnashrama system, adapting itself to contemporary needs. This dharma was not defined by the boundaries of any religion. Did any religion, until then, proclaim that it was enough for a person to simply be good, regardless of their faith? No. Did any religion affirm that the essence of all religions is the same? No. What becomes clear, then, is that Guru upheld a universal vision of humanity that transcended religious confines and embraced the essence of humanity itself. To confine such a vision within the framework of Sanatana principles would be a grave insult to Guru’s legacy…”, Vijayan added. 

The remarks have stirred controversy, with BJP ‘s V. Muraleedharan calling the statements insulting to the followers of Sanatana Dharma. He accused the Chief Minister of insulting the Mahabharata and challenged him to speak about other holy books like the Quran.