No more FIRs against Tamil Nadu Deputy CM Udhayanidhi over ‘eradicate Sanatan dharma’ remark: SC

The Supreme Court ordered on Thursday that no fresh first information reports (FIR) should be filed against Tamil Nadu Deputy Chief Minister M Udhayanidhi Stalin over his controversial "eradicate Sanatan Dharma" remarks without the top court's permission.

A bench comprising Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna and Justice Sanjay Kumar also extended the operation of an interim order granting Stalin protection against coercive actions in the cases registered against him in connection with his remarks.

"List in April. Interim order to continue and shall apply to the new cases added as well. We direct no further FIR to be registered on the same cause," Bar and Bench cited the court order on Thursday.

The controversial 'Sanatan dharma' remarks

The controversial remarks in focus were made by Udhayanidhi Stalin in September 2023 during a conference organised by the Tamil Nadu Progressive Writers Artists Association in Chennai,.

Speaking at a conference in September 2023, the DMK leader said 'Sanatan Dharma' is against social justice and equality and should be "eradicated". Likening 'Sanatan Dharma' to coronavirus, malaria and dengue, he said it should be destroyed.

“Just like dengue, mosquitoes, malaria, or coronavirus need to be eradicated, we have to eradicate Sanatana,” Udhayanidhi had said.

Several FIRs have been registered in different parts of the country, including Maharashtra, Bihar, Jammu and Karnataka, against Stalin over his remarks.

According to Bar and Bench, an amendment application filed in the matter revealed that a new FIR was registered against Stalin in Bihar as well.

Stalinhad  eventually moved the Supreme Court with a plea to club FIRs registered against him in different parts of the country in connection with this comment so that the same may be dealt with as a single criminal case.

Stalin earlier defended his comments and said that same was made before a particular audience, who are followers of the same ideology on the abolition of caste discrimination. “The speech must be viewed with the backdrop of the caste-based discrimination,” he had reportedly said.