Zoho Founder Sridhar Vembu took to X on Thursday morning to explain why Udhayanidhi Stalin‘s repeated attacks on “sanathanam” have not ignited widespread outrage among Tamil Nadu‘s Hindu population. Vembu attributes this to a subtle linguistic nuance in Tamil, where “sanathanam”, meaning “eternal” and referring to ‘Sanatana Dharma’, remains unfamiliar to most locals, unlike more common terms tied to Hinduism. He argues that this word choice allows Stalin to evade backlash while inadvertently boosting anti-Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) sentiment.
‘Sanathanam not in regular use,’ says Vembu
Sridhar Vembu explains, “In Tamil language, the word ‘sanathanam’ (eternal in English) is not in regular use. Most Tamil people do not know this word and I did not know it myself as a child.” In contrast, “dharma” (spelled as “dharmam” or “dharumam”) is deeply embedded in Tamil culture, evident in place names like Dharmapuri district and the synonymous term “aram.”
When Udayanidhi Stalin repeatedly attacks "sanathanam" in Tamil, why is there not more outrage among the highly religious Tamil Hindu population?
I believe it comes down to language.
In Tamil language, the word "sanathanam" (eternal in English) is not in regular use. Most Tamil…
— Sridhar Vembu (@svembu) May 14, 2026
He highlights a key divergence that in Hindi, “dharam” broadly means “religion,” with Hinduism as “hindu dharm” or “sanatan dharam,” and Christianity as “isai dharam.” But in Tamil, “dharmam” effectively equates to “Hindu dharam” in Hindi usage. Vembu posits, “Now if Udhayanidhi had attacked ‘dharmam’ in Tamil (which effectively means Hinduism) he would be widely criticised for proclaiming adharmam.”
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Strategic word choice and political fallout in Tamil Nadu
By targeting the obscure “sanathanam,” Stalin avoids direct confrontation with everyday Tamil Hindu sensibilities, though Vembu notes his “sincere effort” is popularizing the term. This tactic, Vembu claims, has amplified the “already huge anti-DMK vote in Tamil Nadu.”
He recalls, “The DMK has never won a majority on its own ever, because of that huge strong anti-DMK current. They established that current with their constant attacks on Hindu deities. The All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) never did that and they harvested the anti-DMK current well.”
Despite challenges like the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) as a new anti-DMK force, AIADMK splitting votes, DMK’s massive cash spending, strong alliances and TVK’s isolation, “the DMK lost the election.” Vembu concludes, “Udayanidhi wants to ensure the DMK would never come back. May the eternal sanatana dharma grant his wish.”
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