The DMK should first snap ties with the Congress, the Aam Aadmi Party and the Janata Dal (United) before saying it will eradicate Sanatana Dharma, Jharkhand Governor and former BJP leader C.P. Radhakrishnan told journalists in Salem on Sunday.
He made the remarks during his visit to the Salem Kottai Mariamman temple. When journalists asked him about Sports Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin’s comment on the need for eradicating Sanatana Dharma, he said even earlier Mughal emperors tried to eradicate Sanatana Dharma and killed thousands of Hindus, but they failed.
“I am seeing Mr. Udhayanidhi’s comment on eradicating Sanatana Dharma as a farce. Before it (DMK) speaks about eradicating Sanatana Dharma, DMK should snap its ties with the Congress, the AAP and JD (U). I do not know on the basis of what political knowledge Mr. Udhayanidhi made these comments,” he said.
To a question on issues between governors and State governments, Mr. Radhakrishnan said journalists should see what the Supreme Court had said. The first priority of a Governor is to protect the Constitution. It is the duty of a Governor to get the views of the Attorney General and Supreme Court when a Bill is passed in the Assembly “contrary to the Constitution”.
“I am a supporter of reservations. But in Jharkhand, a Bill was passed to give 77% reservation, contrary to the directions of the Supreme Court. So giving assent to that bill is practically not possible. The Chief Ministers are only running the government, but the Constitution does not recognise that a Chief Minister can say or do anything due to winning an election,” he added.
When asked about comments by DMK leaders on abolishing the post of Governor, Mr. Radhakrishnan asked what the DMK had done regarding this when it earlier shared power at the Centre for 10 years.
Citing remarks by some DMK leaders that the government was giving salaries to Governors and dubbing the same as “alms”, he asked, “Who gave alms (salaries) to the Ministers? All salaries are given from people’s money, and people are owners. The DMK Ministers should understand this.”
“If State governments enact laws that do not require the ‘interference’ of the Governors, then we (the Governors) will stand with them. But you (Chief Minister) are hugging a ‘murderer’ (Perarivalan, a life convict in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case) and watching the people who are going on a rally seeking release of the people involved in bomb blast cases and passing resolutions to release them. Will this bring peace? If Governors do not question this, what is the need for the post?” Mr. Radhakrishnan posed.
