The Supreme Court on Thursday said that no further cases should be registered against Tamil Nadu minister and DMK leader Udaynidhi Stalin without its permission for his "eradicate Sanatan Dharma" remark. The latest Supreme Court order provides legal relief to the DMK leader, who has been facing multiple complaints across the country for his controversial statement.
It should be noted that Udhayanidhi Stalin sparked controversy with his comments in September 2023, equating Sanatan Dharma with diseases like dengue and malaria and calling for its eradication. His controversial statement led to protests and legal action from several quarters, with multiple FIRs being lodged against him in different states.
During the hearing of the matter, senior advocate AM Singhvi, appearing for Stalin, said that a fresh complaint had been filed in Bihar, in addition to the existing FIRs in several states. The court responded firmly, saying, “You can’t keep filing new complaints.”
After hearing all replies, Chief Justice of India (CJI) made it clear that the court would not be drawn into the merits of the case, stating, “As the apex court, we can’t react to comments.”
The Supreme Court bench then issued a notice on Stalin’s application and also extended the interim protection granted earlier. The states where FIRs have been registered, including Bihar, have been allowed to be made parties in the case, and their response has been sought.
This whole matter is now listed for a hearing in the week commencing April 28, 2025, with the interim order preventing further cases against Stalin to remain in force until then.