Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Wednesday reiterated his stance against efforts to portray sage and social reformer Sree Narayana Guru as a proponent of Sanatana Dharma. Responding to criticism from the BJP over his remarks during the Sivagiri pilgrimage conference on Tuesday, Vijayan emphasized, “I stand by what I have said about Sanatana Dharma.”

In his speech at the Sivagiri conference, Vijayan had stated that the Guru, who advocated for “one caste, one religion, and one God for all,” was neither a spokesperson nor a follower of Sanatana Dharma. Instead, he argued, Sree Narayana Guru had redefined and proclaimed a new form of Dharma suited to modern times.

The BJP swiftly condemned Vijayan’s comments, accusing him of insulting both Sanatana Dharma and the followers of Sree Narayana Guru. Senior BJP leader V. Muraleedharan argued that Vijayan’s remarks were an extension of Udayanidhi Stalin’s call for the eradication of Sanatana Dharma, claiming that the Chief Minister’s speech implied that the philosophy should be hated.

In his response on Wednesday, Vijayan stood firm, asserting that his position on Sree Narayana Guru and Sanatana Dharma remains unchanged. “Sree Narayana Guru cannot be considered a supporter of Sanatana Dharma. In fact, he played a key role in rectifying it. A closer look at its history will reveal this,” the Chief Minister concluded.