The Supreme Court Monday refused to entertain three writ petitions seeking criminal action against Tamil Nadu Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin, son of Chief Minister MK Stalin, for the controversial speech made by him last year about ‘Sanatana Dharma’.
A bench comprising Justice Bela M Trivedi and Justice Prasanna B Varale asked how the writ petitions under Article 32 of the Constitution could be maintained.
The petitions were dismissed as withdrawn, granting petitioners liberty to seek alternative remedies under the law.
Speaking at a conference in Chennai in September 2023, Junior Stalin had said ‘Sanatana Dharma’ was against social justice and equality and that it should be ‘eradicated’ like malaria and dengue.
The DMK leader’s legal team has maintained that in Tamil Nadu and southern states, ‘Sanatan Dharma’ has always been seen through the prism of untouchability and discrimination on the basis of castes and that his comments ought to be seen in that context. They added that the comments had no intention to hurt any Hindu sentiment.