Remarks on Sanatana Dharma: Bengaluru court orders FIR against Udhayanidhi Stalin

A Bangalore Metropolitan Magistrate's Court on Friday directed the registration of a criminal case against Tamil Nadu Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin and three others for allegedly insulting Sanatana Dharma..Besides Stalin, the Court ordered registration of first information report against Tamil writer S Venkatesh, Tamil Nadu Progressive Writers and Artists Association State President Madhukar Ramalingam and Association Secretary Adavan Dichanya.The Court directed the authorities to initiate a criminal case for offences under Sections 153 (provocation to cause riot), 298 (hurting religious sentiments) and 500 (defamation) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).Special (Magistrate) Court Judge J Preeth passed the order after considering a private complaint filed by one V Paramesh.The matter will be heard next on March 4..Advocate Dharmapala represented the complainant..At a conference organised by the Tamil Nadu Progressive Writers Artists Association in Chennai on September 2, 2023, Udhayanidhi Stalin had said that a few things must not merely be opposed but should be eradicated.“Just like dengue, mosquitoes, malaria, or coronavirus need to be eradicated, we have to eradicate Sanatana,” he had said leading to widespread outrage.It was reported by the Kannada newspaper Vijaya Tharanga. Subsequently, a private complaint was lodged.Stalin had subsequently clarified that his statement on Sanatana Dharma was not against Hinduism or the Hindu way of life but was merely a call for ending caste based discriminatory practices.Petitions are also pending before the Madras High Court seeking removal of Stalin as minister.