The Supreme Court of Bharat has strongly criticized Tamil Nadu minister Udayanidhi Stalin for his contentious remarks regarding ‘Sanatana Dharma,’ stating that he had misused his freedom of speech rights. The court questioned whether he was aware of the consequences of his statements.
During a hearing presided over by a two-judge bench, Justice Dipankar Datta reprimanded Udhayanidhi for allegedly abusing his rights under Article 19(1)(a) and Article 25 of the Indian Constitution. The bench was addressing Udhayanidhi’s plea to consolidate FIRs (First Information Reports) filed against him in different states due to his remarks.
Representing the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) leader, senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi clarified that their focus was solely on consolidating the FIRs and not on the merits of the case. Singhvi emphasized that the event where Udhayanidhi made the comments was a private gathering.
The bench suggested that Singhvi should approach the respective high courts regarding the FIRs filed in different states. Singhvi expressed concerns about the practicality of this approach, as it would involve dealing with multiple high courts simultaneously.
Singhvi highlighted past cases where the Supreme Court had allowed the consolidation of FIRs filed in different states, citing examples such as BJP leader Nupur Sharma and journalist Arnab Goswami. He argued that similar to Sharma’s comments, Udhayanidhi’s remarks were also provocative.
The court agreed to consider Udhayanidhi’s plea on March 15, indicating a further legal proceeding on the matter.
Udhayanidhi Stalin, son of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin, made the controversial comments during an event titled ‘Sanatana Eradication Conference’ organized by the Tamil Nadu Progressive Writers Artists Association in Chennai on September 2, 2023. At the event, he reportedly advocated for the eradication of ‘Sanatana Dharma,’ comparing it to diseases like dengue and malaria that need to be eliminated rather than opposed.
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