Supreme Court pulls up TN minister Stalin over Sanatan Dharma remark

New Delhi, March 4

The Supreme Court on Monday pulled up Tamil Nadu Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin over his “eradicate Sanatan Dharma” remark and asked why he approached it after abusing his right of freedom of speech and expression.

A Bench led by Justice Sanjiv Khanna told Stalin’s counsel that he was a minister and should have known 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 a petition 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, posting the matter for hearing on March 15.

Udhayanidhi Stalin, the son of Tamil Nadu CM MK Stalin, had in September last year said at a conference that Sanatana Dharma was against social justice and equality and should be “eradicated”. Senior advocate Abhishek Singhvi, appearing for Stalin, submitted he was not justifying his client’s comments but only seeking consolidation of FIRs lodged against him over it in six states. The top court then asked him to approach the high courts concerned.