New Delhi: Andhra Pradesh deputy chief minister and Jana Sena Party (JSP) president Pawan Kalyan has criticised what he called “fake secularists” for selectively targeting Hinduism in the name of freedom of expression, asserting that such tendencies threaten religious harmony and respect.

Addressing a massive gathering of Lord Murugan devotees at the “Muruga Bhakthargal Maanadu” in Tamil Nadu’s Madurai on Sunday, Kalyan said, “I am not a fanatic Hindu, but a committed Hindu. I respect Christianity, Islam. My plea is — don’t disrespect my faith.”

Misuse of secularism

The event, organised by the Hindu Munnani (Hindu Front), saw participation from various Hindu organisations, AIADMK leaders, and BJP functionaries including former Tamil Nadu BJP president K Annamalai. Over five lakh devotees reportedly attended the religious conference.

Speaking largely in Tamil, Pawan Kalyan took aim at those who, he said, misuse the concept of secularism. “Secularism means no discrimination against any religion. But for many so-called secularists, it means no discrimination against any religion except Hinduism,” he said.

He expressed concern over repeated targeting of Hindu deities and traditions under the guise of freedom of speech, and warned that if such provocations continued, it would become increasingly difficult to sustain India’s religious and cultural fabric.

‘Don’t disrespect my faith’

Kalyan also questioned why conferences like the one in Madurai are criticised while similar gatherings of other faiths are not. “A Christian can be a Christian, a Muslim can be a Muslim but they have a problem if a Hindu is Hindu. If one is Hindu, they call him communal. This is their fake secularism. Who are you to question my belief. We don’t question your belief, you should follow that decency,” he said.

Dressed in a green veshti (dhoti) and angavastram, traditional Murugan devotee attire, Kalyan stressed the importance of protecting dharma and maintaining mutual respect among religious communities. “You may not respect my faith, but don’t disrespect it,” he said.