SC rebukes Udhayanidhi Stalin over his ‘eradicate Sanatan dharma’ remark
New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday criticised Tamil Nadu Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin for his controversial “eradicate Sanatan dharma” statement. Justices Sanjiv Khanna and Dipankar Datta questioned Stalin’s decision to petition the court to consolidate FIRs filed against him, highlighting his ministerial responsibility. They reminded Stalin of the consequences of his words, given his position of authority, underlining his misuse of freedom of speech and expression.
“You abuse your right under Article 19(1)(a) (right to freedom of speech and expression of the Constitution). You abuse your right under Article 25 (freedom of conscience, the freedom to profess, practice, and propagate religion).
“Now you are exercising your right under Article 32 (to file plea in the Supreme Court directly)? Do you not know the consequences of what you said? You are not a layman. You are a minister. You should know the consequences,” the bench said.
Stalin, also a prominent film actor and son of Tamil Nadu’s Chief Minister, made the contentious remarks during a conference in September 2023. He equated Sanatana dharma with diseases like coronavirus, malaria, and dengue, advocating for its eradication, which sparked widespread controversy and criticism. Senior advocate Abhishek Singhvi, representing Stalin, clarified that their plea sought the consolidation of FIRs filed across six states rather than justifying Stalin’s remarks. However, the court directed them to pursue this matter with the respective high courts. Singhvi referenced previous Supreme Court decisions, particularly those involving journalist Arnab Goswami and BJP leader Nupur Sharma, where the court agreed to consolidate FIRs. He stressed that their plea solely aimed at consolidating FIRs and not commenting on the merits of the case.
The apex court scheduled further consideration of the matter for March 15, indicating its intention to review judgments and the progress of trials related to the FIRs. This move aligns with its approach to ensure fair and impartial adjudication.
Notably, on September 22, 2023, the Supreme Court agreed to hear a plea filed by Chennai-based lawyer B Jagannath. The plea sought the registration of an FIR against Stalin and others involved in the conference, alleging hate speech. Jagannath urged the court to instruct the Tamil Nadu police chief to register an FIR against the conference organizers and those who made inflammatory remarks, including Ministers Udhayanidhi Stalin and PK Sekar Babu. Furthermore, the petitioner urged the court to declare the participation of state ministers in the event titled ‘Sanatana Dharma Eradication’ as unconstitutional.
