Sanatana remark: SC to hear Udhay’s plea seeking clubbing of FIRs in April
The top court had told Stalin that being a minister he should have been careful with his statements. Udhayanidhi, the Minister of Youth Welfare and Sports of Tamil Nadu.
Udhayanidhi Stalin
NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court said on Friday it would hear in April a plea filed by Tamil Nadu Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin seeking clubbing of the FIRs lodged against him in different states over his “eradicate Sanatana dharma” remark.
His petition came up for hearing before a bench comprising Justices Sanjiv Khanna, Dipankar Datta and Augustine George Masih, which said it would be heard in the week commencing April 1.
While hearing the plea on March 4, the apex court had rebuked Udhayanidhi Stalin over his reported remark and asked why he has moved the court for clubbing together the FIRs filed against him after abusing his right to freedom of speech and expression.
The top court had told Stalin that being a minister he should have been careful with his statements. Udhayanidhi, the Minister of Youth Welfare and Sports of Tamil Nadu, is a well known film actor and son of Chief Minister MK Stalin.
Speaking at a conference in September 2023, Udhayanidhi Stalin had said Sanatana dharma is against social justice and equality and should be “eradicated’. Likening Sanatana dharma to coronavirus, malaria and dengue, he said it should be destroyed.
Referring to the apex court orders in cases involving journalist Arnab Goswami, BJP leader Nupur Sharma and some others, senior advocate Abhishek Singhvi, appearing for Stalin, had told the bench that in all these the top court had agreed to club the FIRs.
“I’m not saying one word on merits (of the case), I’m not justifying or criticising. Let the merits of case not affect the plea for clubbing of the FIRs,” Singhvi had said on March 4.
