Pawan Kalyan has suddenly emerged as an advocate of Sanatana Dharma ever since the Tirumala Laddu issue came up. Whether this is his own initiative or a task given by Chandrababu Naidu is unclear. However, he changed his attire in the name of ‘Deeksha’ and went to Vijayawada’s Kanaka Durga temple to clean the steps. In fact, he has a film shooting in the same region, which, according to sources, is the primary reason for his visit.
He also addressed the press, issuing warnings to actors like Prakash Raj and Karthi, advising them either to support the Laddu issue or remain silent but not to speak against it.
Now, netizens are digging out his past videos and sharing them on social media, questioning his stance on Sanatana Dharma.
In one video, he mentioned that his father used to light his cigarette from a diya lit for God. While his father might have been an atheist and committed such an act, as a son, if Pawan truly adhered to Sanatana Dharma, he shouldn't have shared this publicly. This statement could be seen as either an insult to his father or an insult to Sanatana Dharma.
In another video, he was seen saying that there is nothing wrong with eating beef. He attributed this to Swami Vivekananda, claiming that Vivekananda endorsed beef consumption. However, Vivekananda never supported 'beef' eating specifically; he only mentioned that it was acceptable to eat meat for strength and vigor. Pawan Kalyan, however, conveniently misattributed this statement to Vivekananda.
In yet another video, he was seen wearing a Muslim cap, sitting at the feet of a Muslim woman, and enjoying biryani served to him.
In another video, Pawan Kalyan said, "Only Hindu leaders instigate communal riots. Leaders from other communities do not engage in divide-and-rule politics. Only Hindus do such acts and spoil secularism. Without the consent and involvement of Hindu leaders, there wouldn’t be any religious clashes."
These videos are now circulating on the internet, raising questions about Pawan Kalyan’s stance on Sanatana Dharma.
Many netizens are accusing Pawan Kalyan of igniting religious hatred to gain attention.
Additionally, netizens are sharing video evidence showing that just a few kilometers away from where Pawan Kalyan was cleaning the steps of Vijayawada’s Kanaka Durgamma temple, in Kammaripalem, flood victims were protesting, claiming they had not received the flood-relief until now. The police even resorted to a lathi charge on them.
Despite being the Deputy CM, Pawan Kalyan did not address their grievances and instead seemed to be playing to the galleries by portraying himself as a protector of Sanatana Dharma.
Usha Chowdhary
