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Udhayanidhi Stalin's Sanatana Dharma remarks amount to 'hate speech': Madras HC
The Madras HC has quashed an FIR registered against BJP IT cell head Amit Malviya in connection with his tweets targeting Tamil Nadu DCM Udhayanidhi Stalin.
The Madras High Court has set aside an FIR filed against BJP leader Amit Malviya over social media posts where he criticised Tamil Nadu deputy chief minister and minister for youth welfare and sports, Udhayanidhi Stalin, for his remarks on “Sanatana Dharma”.
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The High Court said it was unfair to punish someone for reacting to a controversial speech while no action was taken against the person who made it.
Justice S Srimathy said Malviya had only responded to a public speech made by Tamil Nadu minister Udhayanidhi Stalin and that continuing the case against him would be wrong and harmful. The judge noted that Malviya’s reaction did not break the law and keeping the case alive would misuse the legal system, as per a report by Live Law.
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The court also expressed strong disappointment over what it called a troubling trend. It pointed out that while no case was registered against the minister for his speech, a criminal case was quickly filed against someone who questioned it. The judge said it was painful to see that people who make offensive statements often go free, while those who react to them face police action.
“This Court with pain records the prevailing situation that the person who initiates the hate speech are let scot-free, but the persons who reacted for the hate speech are facing the wrath of the law. The Courts are also questioning the persons who reacted but are not putting the law on motion against the person initiated the hate speech,” the court stated, as per the report.
How it all started
The issue began in 2023 at an event called the “Sanatana Abolition Conference,” where Udhayanidhi Stalin compared Sanatana Dharma to diseases like dengue and malaria and spoke about abolishing it. His remarks triggered several cases in different courts. After the speech, Amit Malviya shared a video clip online and questioned the meaning and intent of the minister’s words. A complaint was then filed against Malviya, accusing him of spreading hatred and false information.
Stalin's remarks
Roughly translated, here is what Stalin said at the event, which caused uproar: “A few things cannot be opposed but should only be abolished. We can't merely oppose dengue, mosquitoes, malaria, or corona. They have to be eradicated. Rather than opposing Sanatana, it should be eradicated.”
What Malviya's post stated
Malviya in response had posted on X, “Udhayanidhi Stalin, son of Tamilnadu CM MK Stalin, and a minister in the DMK Govt, has linked Sanatana Dharma to malaria and dengue... He is of the opinion that it must be eradicated and not merely opposed. In short, he is calling for genocide of 80% population of Bharat, who follow Sanatan Dharma.”
Malviya told the court that he had only shared what was already public and asked questions about the speech. He argued that his posts were misunderstood and that the case against him was politically motivated.
(With ANI inputs)
