Vishwa Hindu Parishad leader and former Bharatiya Janata Party Member of Parliament Ram Vilas Vedanti on Friday issued a 'fatwa' against Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi for his statement challenging the existence of Lord Ram.

The VHP kendriya margdarshak mandal leader and two-time BJP Lok Sabha member issued the 'fatwa' in Ayodhya in which he said whosoever chopped off the head and tongue of the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam president would be gifted with gold by the saints of Ayodhya.

"He has played with the sentiments of the Hindus. I ask the government to take punitive action against the TN CM for his remarks," VHP leader Sharad Kumar said in Lucknow quoting Vedanti.

"People like him are trying to spread hatred in the country," he added.

On Saturday, the Tamil Nadu chief minister had cautioned the Centre against paying heed to "religious fundamentalist forces" on the Ram Sethu issue. The Centre should not bow to such pressure and give up the Sethusamudram Ship Channel Project, Karunanidhi had said.

Quoting former prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru, he said Ramayana was a story based on the fight between Aryan and Dravidian races.

"Lord Ram is an imaginary character and Ram Sethu is not a man-made bridge. The Centre should not do anything to disturb the Sethusamudram project," he said.