The Supreme Court on Monday rebuked Tamil Nadu Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin over his 'eradicate Sanatan Dharma' remark and asked why he has moved the top court with his plea after abusing his right of freedom of speech and expression.
A bench of justices Sanjiv Khanna and Dipankar Datta told Stalin that he is a minister and should know the consequences of his remark.
"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 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 and adjourned the matter to March 15.
What Udhayanidhi had said?
Udhayanidhi Stalin, a minister in the DMK government in Tamil Nadu and also the son of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin, had kicked up a storm by his comments on Sanatan Dharma. Speaking at an event in Chennai on September 2 last year, Udhyanidhi Stalin 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 the mosquito borne diseases.
Several FIRs were filed in different states against Stalins' anti-Sanatan remarks. However, the leader refused to take back his words and said that he stood by each and every word he said about Sanatan Dharma. He also said that he was ready to face legal action for the comments and that he would fight it out in the court.
(With Inputs from PIT)
