No evidence Lord Ram existed, says DMK minister SS Sivasankar

Tamil Nadu Minister of Transport SS Sivasankar stirred up a controversy after he claimed that there was no historical evidence of Lord Ram's existence.

Speaking at an event in Ariyalur, the transport minister said it was the responsibility of one and all to celebrate the legacy of Rajendra Chola (Rajendra I of Chola dynasty) or else the "people will be forced to celebrate something which has no connection to them”.

“Tangible evidence, such as ponds and temples, attests to the historical existence of Rajendra Chola. His name is inscribed in scripts and his likeness captured in sculptures. In contrast, there is no concrete historical record of Ram's existence. The assertion of his divinity and incarnation is just to manipulate our perception of history," said Shivashankar.

Reacting to Sivasankar's remark, Tamil Nadu BJP president K Annamalai questioned DMK’s "obsession with Lord Ram”.

“DMK's sudden obsession with Bhagwan Shri Ram is truly a sight to behold — who would've thought? Isn't it fascinating how quickly DMK leaders' memories fade? Weren't they the same folks who opposed our PM Modi for installing the Chola Dynasty Sengol in the new Parliament Complex?,” questioned Annamalai.

“The DMK's newfound appreciation for India's rich cultural and historical legacy is a surprising departure from their longstanding focus on post-1967 Tamil Nadu. It's almost ironic that within the same party, we have ministers holding contrasting views on Lord Ram. Perhaps a constructive dialogue between Thiru Regupathy and Thiru Sivasankar could shed light on this discrepancy," Annamalai said.

The BJP leader, Annamalai was referring to another remark by state Law Minister Regupathy, who called Lord Ram as the "forerunner of the Dravidian model".

(With inputs from agencies)