SC pulls up Udhayanidhi Stalin for remarks against Sanatan Dharma
What's the story
The Supreme Court on Monday pulled up Tamil Nadu minister and Dravida Munnetra Kazhighan (DMK) leader Udhayanidhi Stalin for his remarks against Sanatan Dharma last year.
"You are not a layman. You are a minister. You should know the consequences," the SC told his lawyer.
The court observed that Udhayanidhi, son of Chief Minister MK Stalin, abused his rights under freedom of speech and expression, and freedom of religion.
It has postponed the hearing on his plea until March 15.
Context
Why does this story matter?
Last September, Udhayanidhi compared Sanatan Dharma to diseases like dengue, malaria, COVID-19, etc., saying it should be eradicated.
While Udhayanidhi said he was referring to the caste system, the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and other Hindu organizations condemned his statement. Later, several DMK and Congress leaders allegedly came to his defense.
The remarks left the opposition bloc, the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA), of which the DMK is a member, open to BJP attacks.
Udhayanidhi's clarification
Udhayanidhi clarifies his stance amid criticism
Udhayanidhi's plea is seeking to combine multiple FIRs filed against him in various states over the controversial comments.
After facing backlash from opposition parties who accused him of promoting genocide, he clarified his position in a September 2023 message.
"I never called for the genocide of people who follow Sanatan Dharma," he claimed.
"Sanatan Dharma is a principle that divides people in the name of caste and religion. Uprooting Sanatan Dharma is upholding humanity and human equality," he added.
Case and controversy
Cases against Udhayanidhi
Earlier, Prime Minister Narendra Modi also spoke over the issue, saying it needed a "proper response."
Udhayanidhi was first booked under Sections 153A and 295A of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) for allegedly "promoting enmity between different religious groups" and "deliberately and maliciously outraging religious feelings."
Karnataka Congress leader Priyank Kharge was also named in this FIR.
The case was filed in Uttar Pradesh after lawyers Harsh Gupta and Ram Singh Lodhi claimed that the comments had hurt their feelings.
In a letter
Eminent citizens urged CJI to act against Udhayanidhi
To recall, a group of 262 prominent persons, including retired judges and bureaucrats, wrote to Chief Justice (CJI) DY Chandrachud last year, urging him to take cognizance of Udhayanidhi's controversial statements.
The letter claimed that the DMK leader's remarks amounted to hate speech and struck at the core of India's secular Constitution, adding that they could incite communal violence.
The signatories included former Delhi High Court Judge SN Dhingra and former Foreign Secretary of India Kanwal Sibal, among others.