Union minister Smriti Irani waded into the Sanatan Dharma controversy as at the Janmashtami celebrations on Wednesday the minister said the chants for Lord Krishna should be so loud that they reach those who challenge Sanatan Dharma. "The sound of the bhakts should reach the ears of those who challenge Sanatan Dharma. They should understand that as long as the bhakts are alive, no one can challenge the religion or the belief," Smriti Irani said at Dwarka's ISKCON temple taking part in the Janmashtami celebrations.

Smriti Irani's comments came after PM Modi in a meeting with the ministers reportedly asked them to give befitting replies to the Sanatan Dharma debate based on studies and facts. Last week, a massive political controversy began after Tamil Nadu minister Udhayanidhi Stalin, the son of chief minister MK Salin, compared Sanatan Dharma with dengue, malaria and said Sanatan Dharma should be eradicated.

As the issue became a BJP versus INDIA -- the opposition bloc -- the opposition parties picked their own way to oppose or support what Udhayanidhi said. Meanwhile, complaints were filed against Udhay for his comment which he stood by and refused to take back.

In fact, Udhayanidhi reiterated that he would say the same thing about Sanatan Dharma while his stance on Hindu religion is not that of hatred. Udhayanidhi clarified that his comment was against caste-based society which is Sanatan, and not against the Hindu religion. He cited the example of President Droupadi Murmu and said because of her caste, she was not invited to the inauguration of the new Parliament building.

The controversy has been raging on for the past few days and PM Modi's reported instruction conveys that the BJP will use this controversy against the opposition.

On Udhayanidhi's statement on Droupadi Murmu, Tamil Nadu BJP president K Annamalai said it is because of Sanatan that Droupadi Murmu became the President and also asked Udhay why DMK did not vote for her in the presidential election.

Poulomi Ghosh is a journalist with Hindustan Times, New Delhi.