Relief For TN Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin As Supreme Court Refuses To Entertain Petitions Seeking Action Over His 'Sanatan' Remark

Giving a big relief to Tamil Nadu Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin, son of Chief Minister MK Stalin, the Supreme Court on Monday refused to entertain three writ petitions seeking criminal action against him for his controversial remarks about 'Sanatana Dharma.'

A two-judge bench of Justice Bela M Trivedi and Justice Prasanna B Varale questioned the maintainability of the writ petition under Article 32 of the Constitution.

According to reports, all three petitions were dismissed as withdrawn, with petitioners given liberty to seek alternative remedies under the law.

Speaking at an event in Chennai on September 2, 2023, Udhayanidhi Stalin had said that Sanatan Dharma should not only be opposed but also eradicated, and used the analogy of diseases like dengue and malaria to equate Sanatan Dharma with mosquito-borne diseases.

In March last year, the apex court rebuked Stalin over his remarks and asked why he moved the top court with his plea after abusing his right to freedom of speech and expression.

A bench of Justices Sanjiv Khanna and Dipankar Datta told Stalin that he was a minister and should know the consequences of his remarks.

"You abuse your right under Article 19(1)(a) (of the Constitution). You abuse your right under Article 25. Now you are exercising your right under Article 32 (to file a plea in the Supreme Court)? 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.