Tamil Nadu minister SS Sivasankar has sparked a controversy by saying that no "historical record" documents the "existence" of Lord Ram. The DMK leader made the contentious remark at an event commemorating the birth anniversary of Chola Emperor Rajendra Chola in Tamil Nadu's Ariyalur on Friday.

"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," said Sivasankar at the event organised jointly by Ariyalur district administration and the Tamil Nadu Tourism Department.

"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 (Lord 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," the state transport minister added.

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Reacting to Sivasankar's remarks, Tamil Nadu BJP president K Annamalai pointed out the contrasting views held by DMK leaders on Lord 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 (formerly Twitter).

"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 [Narendra Modi] for installing the Chola Dynasty Sengol in the new Parliament Complex?" he added.

"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," Annamalai said further.

The remark by Sivasankar is reminiscent of a controversial statement by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin's son Udhayanidhi, who is himself a minister in the state government. Udhayanidhi stoked a massive political row last year by likening 'Sanatana Dharma' to life-threatening diseases like malaria and dengue and calling for its 'eradication'. The remarks led to several criminal complaints against Udhayanidhi.

(With inputs from ANI)


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