Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin’s son Udhayanidhi Stalin had last year triggered a massive row after comparing Sanatana dharma with “dengue” and “malaria”, saying that it should not just be opposed, but “eradicated”. The Supreme Court Today (4 March) criticized DMK leader Stalin for his comments on Sanatana Dharma, stating that he had “misused his privileges”.
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NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court today rebuked DMK leader and Tamil Nadu Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin over his controversial remarks on ‘Sanatana Dharma’, telling him that
“you have abused your rights”.
The court was hearing Udhayanidhi Stalin’s plea which sought the clubbing of FIRs against him over his alleged remarks.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin’s son Udhayanidhi Stalin had last year triggered a massive row after comparing Sanatana dharma with “dengue” and “malaria”, saying that it should not just be opposed, but “eradicated”.
“You have abused your rights… You know what you have said. You should have realised the consequences. You are a Minister, not a layman,”
-the Supreme Court said.
Appearing on behalf of Udhayanidhi Stalin, senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi cited verdicts in cases of Arnab Goswami, Mohammad Zubair and others while arguing to club the FIRs.
The Supreme Court then suggested that the DMK leader could move the High Court instead.
“If I have to move multiple courts, I’ll be tied up in this. This is persecution before the prosecution,” Singhvi added.
In response, the court asked them to list the case for hearing next week.
Speaking at a ‘Sanatana Abolition Conference’ in September last year, Udhayanidhi Stalin said that ‘Sanatana dharma’ is against social justice and equality.
“Few things cannot be opposed, that should be abolished only. We can’t oppose dengue, mosquitoes, malaria or corona. We have to eradicate this. That’s how we have to eradicate Sanatana,”
-Udhayanidhi Stalin had said.
Soon after making the remark, BJP leaders criticised the DMK leader and accused him giving a call for “genocide of Hindus”. K Annamalai, the Tamil Nadu BJP chief, accused Udhayanidhi of advocating for the elimination of the majority population of Bharat, who adhere to the Sanatan Dharma, by using the term “genocide.”
Subsequently, Home Minister Amit Shah accused the opposition bloc ‘INDIA’, which includes the DMK, of engaging in divisive politics by “insulting Sanatana Dharma“ for the sake of securing votes and appeasement.
On September 5, 2023, Udhayanidhi Stalin also received a death threat after Ayodhya seer Paramhans Acharya announced a reward of Rs 10 crore for beheading Udhayanidhi Stalin over his alleged remarks.
“Sanatan Dharma neither has a beginning nor an end. It has never been destroyed and can never be destroyed,”
-he said, warning that anyone trying to destroy Sanatan Dharma will be destroyed.
Udhayanidhi Stalin then issued a clarification that his speech was not a call for genocide but
“what the BJP is doing in Manipur is genocide.”
“Manipur remained in a state of unrest for over five months. Over 250 people have been killed and churches have been demolished. Media, communication facilities and the Internet were all cut off for months,”
-Udhayanidhi said.
He refused to apologise for his remarks, as was demanded by several BJP leaders, and said that he would make them again.
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