In a relief to Tamil Nadu Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin, the Supreme Court on Monday refused to entertain writ petitions seeking criminal action against the DMK leader for his controversial remarks about ‘Sanatan Dharma’.
A bench of Justice Bela M Trivedi and Justice Prasanna B Varale refused to entertain the petition, asking how the writ petitions under Article 32 of the Constitution could be maintained, reported Live Law.
The court was hearing the writ petitions filed by B Jagannath, Vineet Jindal and Sanatan Suraksha Parishad. They were dismissed as withdrawn, granting petitioners liberty to avail alternative remedies under the law.
As per the petitions, Jagannath had sought direction restraining Stalin from making remarks about ‘Sanatan Dharma’, and a declaration that the speech was unconstitutional. Apart from Udhayanidhi, Vineet had sought action against DMK MP A Raja, who publicly supported Stalin’s comments. The other petitioner sought guidelines to prevent communal remarks by elected representatives, the news outlet reported.
In September 2023, the deputy chief minister had compared Sanatan Dharma to dengue and malaria, saying that it should not just be opposed but also “eradicated” like these mosquito-borne diseases.
“What is Sanatanam? The very name is only from Sanskrit. Sanatan is against equality and social justice and nothing else. It is eternal, that is, it cannot be changed; no one could pose any question and that is the meaning. Sanatan divided people based on caste,” he said.
His comments had come at a ‘Sanatana Abolition Conference’, where he argued that Sanatan Dharma is against social justice and equality.
He faced protests and severe criticism for his statement, while multiple cases were registered against him. The BJP and Hindu organisations were particularly vocal.
The top court had earlier reprimanded Stalin over his controversial statement and said as a minister, it was his responsibility to choose his words on such sensitive issues wisely.
