The Supreme Court on Monday rebuked Tamil Nadu Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin over his 'eradicate Sanatana Dharma' remark. A bench comprising Justices Sanjiv Khanna and Dipankar Datta was hearing a petition filed by Udhayanidhi Stalin seeking to club the FIRs registered in Maharashtra, Jammu and Kashmir, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and Karnataka in the case.
"You are not a layman. You are a minister. You should know the consequences," the bench told Udhayanidhi Stalin. The Supreme Court adjourned to March 15 Udhayanidhi Stalin's plea for clubbing the FIRs for his 'eradicate Sanatan Dharma' remark.
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".
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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.
As soon as the petition was taken on Monday, Justice Datta told Stalin's counsel Senior Advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, "You abuse your Art 19(1)(a) right [freedom of speech and expression]. You abuse your Art 25 [ Freedom of conscience and free profession, practice and propagation of religion]. Now you are exercising your Art 32 [right to move the Supreme Court] right? Do you not know the consequences of what you said?", as reported by LiveLaw.
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Singhvi, clarifying that he is not justifying Stalin's comments at all, pointed out that he is facing FIRs in six states and is only seeking to consolidate them. When the bench advised him to move the concerned High Courts, Singhvi replied, "I have to move six HCs, I'll constantly be tied up in this...This is persecution before the prosecution." Justice Datta then expressed his disapproval of the petitioner's comments again. "You are not a layman. You are a minister. You should know the consequences."
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.
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He refused to apologise for his remarks, as was demanded by several BJP leaders, and said that he would make them again.
