Lagatar24 Desk
New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Thursday issued an order preventing the filing of new legal cases against Tamil Nadu Deputy Chief Minister and DMK leader Udhayanidhi Stalin regarding his controversial “eradicate Sanatan Dharma” remark. No fresh FIRs can be registered without explicit court permission.
SC Protects Udhayanidhi Stalin From Fresh FIRs
• The directive comes after multiple FIRs were lodged across states, including Maharashtra, Bihar, and Jammu, over his contentious statement.
• Stalin’s counsel, AM Singhvi, raised concerns over new complaints, urging the top court to consolidate all FIRs for trial in Karnataka, as suggested earlier.
• The Supreme Court issued notices to individuals who filed new complaints and prohibited any additional FIRs on the same issue.
• The bench, led by Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna and Justice Sanjay Kumar, also granted Udhayanidhi protection from arrest in these new cases.
Next Hearing on April 28
• The court scheduled the next hearing for April 28, maintaining Stalin’s legal safeguards in previously filed FIRs.
• The DMK leader’s remarks have remained a subject of controversy, leading to multiple legal challenges and political backlash.
Background: The ‘Sanatan Dharma’ Controversy
• In September 2023, Udhayanidhi Stalin made controversial remarks at a conference, claiming that Sanatan Dharma opposes social justice and equality.
• He compared Sanatan Dharma to diseases like coronavirus, malaria, and dengue, calling for its eradication.
• His statement triggered widespread outrage, leading to legal complaints and criticism from opposition parties and Hindu groups.
With the Supreme Court’s intervention, the matter now awaits further judicial scrutiny in the upcoming April 28 hearing.
