As Udhayanidhi Stalin Targets Sanatan Dharma, Recent Pics of Durga Stalin at Mookambika Temple Go Viral

Tamil Nadu politics has once again been engulfed in controversy after Leader of Opposition Udhayanidhi Stalin renewed his attack on "Sanatan Dharma", even as recent photographs of his mother, Durga Stalin, visiting Karnataka's revered Kollur Mookambika Temple resurfaced and went viral on social media.

Durga Stalin had reportedly visited the famous Kollur Mookambika Temple on March 8, where she was received by temple authorities and devotees. Known as one of South India's most prominent spiritual centres, the temple witnessed tight security arrangements during her visit, though officials ensured that regular darshan and worship for devotees continued without disruption.

During the visit, Durga Stalin is said to have performed special pujas and spent time interacting briefly with temple authorities within the temple premises. At the time, the visit drew moderate attention, but the photographs and videos have now exploded across social media platforms following Udhayanidhi Stalin's latest remarks on Sanatan Dharma.

The renewed buzz comes after Udhayanidhi, speaking in the Tamil Nadu Assembly on Tuesday in the presence of newly-appointed Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay, reiterated his controversial stand against "Sanathanam".

"Sanathanam that divides people should be eradicated," he said during his address, triggering immediate political reactions and intense online debate.

Son wants Sanatana Dharma eradicated. Mother worships the deity whose pran pratishtha was done by Adi Sankara the greatest exponent of Sanatana Dharma. How can the son who couldnt eradicate sanatana dharma from his own home eradicate it from Tamil Nadu https://t.co/5KfzPiVXks

— S Gurumurthy (@sgurumurthy) May 12, 2026

Clips of the speech quickly spread across social media, with critics pointing to what they called a contradiction between the DMK leader's ideological position and his family's participation in Hindu religious practices and temple rituals.

This is not the first time Udhayanidhi Stalin's comments on Sanatan Dharma have sparked nationwide outrage. Nearly three years ago, he ignited a massive political storm after comparing Sanatan Dharma to diseases such as dengue, malaria and coronavirus.

Sanatana Dharma will be eradicated - Udhayanidhi Stalin at TN Assembly

Meanwhile his mother Durga Stalin and brother in law Sabareesan#Udhayanidhi #UdhayanidhiStalin #DMK #SanatanaDharma #BJP #TVK #Tamilnadu pic.twitter.com/xwPGedODTg

— Vivekanand V🇮🇳 (@i_am_vivekanand) May 12, 2026

"A few things cannot merely be opposed; they must be eradicated. We don't oppose dengue, mosquitoes, malaria, or corona - we eradicate them. That is how Sanatana should also be eradicated," he had said at the time.

The resurfacing of Durga Stalin's temple visit has now added a fresh political dimension to the controversy, reigniting debates over ideology, faith, and political messaging within Tamil Nadu's ruling circles.