‘BJP doing Twitter politics,’ counsel of Udhayanidhi tells Madras high court on Sanatana row
The proceedings of the case are being misreported on social media, including by Tamil Nadu BJP president K Annamalai, the counsel said
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is playing “Twitter politics” on the basis of the case filed by the Hindu Munnani group against Tamil Nadu’s sports minister Udhayanidhi Stalin over his Sanatana Dharma comment, said senior counsel P Wilson in the Madras high court on Tuesday.
The proceedings of the case are being misreported on social media, including by Tamil Nadu’s BJP president K Annamalai, the senior counsel, appearing for Udhayanidhi Stalin, added.
Wilson orally made the above submission when the writ of quo warranto (challenging one’s right to hold a public office) filed by T Manohar, an office bearer of right wing Hindu Munnani, against Udhayanidhi Stalin came up for hearing before Justice Anita Sumanth.
Earlier in September, Tamil Nadu chief minister MK Stalin’s son Udhayanidhi Stalin set off a political storm sparring with senior BJP leaders over his comment that Sanatana Dharma must be eradicated like malaria and dengue. Several police cases were filed against Udhayanidhi across the country over his comment and there was even a bounty on his head.
When the court sought a copy of Udhayanidhi’s speech, his senior counsel submitted that it is the duty of the petitioner, who filed a writ petition, to submit necessary evidence and “failure to do so should entail in dismissal of the writ petition.” He argued that the court cannot compel the respondent to do anything against his constitutional right.
In his affidavit, Udhayanidhi had said that he has not breached his oath of office by holding a viewpoint on caste hegemony, preaching for equality and eradication of discrimination. “A certain ideology which is opposed to Dravidian ideology is attempting to use the court’s process to settle political and social questions,” Udhayanidhi’s affidavit read. “Where the Dravidian ideology speaks of self-respect, equality, rational thought and brotherhood, the opposing sect speaks of division on the basis of caste.”
Another senior DMK leader and MP A Raja, who backed Udhyanidhi’s comments and has also been named in the case, sought time to file a counter affidavit. The case has been adjourned to November 7 for further hearing.
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