Sanatan Dharma Remark Row: Plea Seeking FIR Against Udhayanidhi Stalin Filed In Supreme Court

New Delhi: A plea has been moved in the Supreme Court seeking initiation of legal action against Udhayanidhi Stalin, Tamil Nadu minister and son of Chief Minister MK Stalin, over his controversial statements on 'Sanatan Dharma.' Advocate Vineet Jindal petitioned the top court saying that he is a follower of Sanatan Dharma and is aggrieved with “hate speech” made by Stalin Jr.

The plea said that the applicant had already filed a complaint with the Commissioner of Delhi Police seeking action against the DMK leader under penal provisions but the First Information Report (FIR) is yet to be registered. The application, filed through advocate RK Choudhary, also sought contempt against Delhi Police for not implementing top court’s guidelines. 

The petition sought impleadment in the case of Shaheen Abdulla v. Union of India and Ors., where state governments and police authorities were directed by the Supreme Court to take suo motu action in hate speech cases without waiting for the lodging of formal complaints. 

The top court had said that any delay on the part of the administration in taking action on ‘very serious issues’ will invite the court’s contempt as action is needed in order to preserve the secular character of the country.

The plea alleged that Udhayanidhi Stalin’s action outraged religious feelings, insulted followers of Hindu religion and instigated enmity between different groups on the grounds of religion.

Earlier, a group of 262 eminent citizens, including former high court judges and bureaucrats and war veterans had written a letter to the Chief Justice of India requesting him to take suo moto cognizance of the alleged hate speech made by the Tamil Nadu minister.

It may be recalled that Udhayanidhi Stalin, while speaking at a function in Tamil Nadu, had said that Sanatan Dharma must be eradicated like mosquitoes, dengue, malaria or corona.

The Tamil Nadu's minister for sports and youth affairs had said, “It (Sanatan Dharma) has to be eradicated, rather than opposing it.”

Later, he refused to apologise for his remarks and justified himself by stating: “I will say this continuously.”