After social media uproar over a photo of the idol of Hindu deity Vinayagar, DMK Youth Wing Secretary Udhayanidhi Stalin has clarified that it was a picture of his daughter. In the wee hours of Monday, Udhayanidhi posted an untitled photo of a pair of hands holding the clay idol just days after the Vinayagar Chaturthi festival. The photo landed him in controversy as supporters of the rationalist party lashed out against him even as members of the AIADMK and BJP took a dig at the DMK chief’s son.
Explaining how he came to post the image of his daughter on Twitter, Udhayanidhi said in a statement, “My mother had bought a statue of Pillaiyar for Pillaiyar Chathurthi. My daughter, who saw the statue last night, asked ‘How is this statue made?’ I said, ‘This statue is made of clay. It is then taken to be dissolved in water.’ She asked, ‘Why is the statue dropped in water?’ I said, ‘They say that is the custom. They will buy a new one next year.’”
The actor-politician said that his daughter requested him to take a photo of her with the idol before it is dissolved as per custom.
“She asked me to take a photo with the idol before it is dissolved. As per her wishes, it was I who took the photo. As per her wishes, I shared the (image of the) idol enjoyed by my daughter on my Twitter page. That’s all,” Udhay Stalin said in his statement.
சர்ச்சையும் அதன் உள்நோக்கமும் புரிகிறது. என் அம்மா வைத்து வழிபட்டது. கரையும்முன் மகள் விருப்பத்தின்பேரில் அவர் கைகளில் புகைப்படமானது, அவ்வளவே. pic.twitter.com/4s0csUBP43
— Udhay (@Udhaystalin) August 24, 2020
The leader from the Dravidian party which espouses atheism and rejects idol worship came under fire from supporters of the party as well as anti-caste voices in Tamil Nadu. Not missing the opportunity, leaders of parties like the AIADMK and the BJP too had a field day lambasting Udhayanidhi for ‘politicising’ religion.
Udhayanidhi also said, “The conspiracy of opportunists to turn everything that happens as anti-party becomes apparent when there are so many issues in the country today but they are holding onto this (the controversy of the idol photo) and twisting it.”
He said, “I wish to clarify one thing here. Neither me nor my wife believe in god. But everyone knows my mother has the belief. There is also a pooja room in our house. It has photos of my ancestors. It also has a few images of the gods that my mother believes in. It is our custom that we stand before the pictures of our ancestors and think of them before we take important decisions.”