Udhayanidhi Stalin summoned by Bengaluru court for Sanatan dharma comment

Earlier, the Madras high court asked Udhayanidhi to produce his research of Sanatan Dharma.

Updated on: Feb 2, 2024, 20:09:33 IST

By HT News Desk

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After a massive political row over the comparison of Sanatan Dharma and dengue and malaria, a Bengaluru court has now summoned Tamil Nadu sports minister Udhayanidhi Stalin on March 4 acting on a complaint by a Bengaluru resident. At an event in September 2023, Udhayanidhi Stalin, son of Tamil Nadu chief minister MK Stalin, compared Sanaran dharma with dengue, malaria and said Sanatan dharma should be driven out of the country like these diseases. The comment opened a major debate with every BJP minister commenting on it. Even Prime Minister Narendra Modi denounced the statement. Udhayanidhi said his statement was twisted as he only called for the eradication of Sanatan which is against social justice and equality. His comments were not against Hindus, he explained later.

Udhayanidhi Stalin summoned by Bengaluru court for last year's comment on Sanatan Dharma.

Several cases have been filed against Udhayanidhi since then and the Madras high court rapped him saying no individual has the right to promote divisive ideas or the abolition of any ideology.

The Bengaluru court has also issued a summons to the person who organised the event where Udhayanidhi commented on Sanatan.

What was the Udhayanidhi-Sanatan row?

At a meeting of the Tamil Nadu Progressive Writers and Artists Association, Udhayanidhi said Sanatan Dharma is against social justice and it should be eradicated like coronavirus, malaria and dengue. He said opposing it is not enough but they should be destroyed. He defended the comment and said he was not the first one to say it. BR Ambedkar, Periyar EV Ramasamy said the same thing. "What is the meaning of Sanatan? It is eternal, that is, it cannot be changed; no one could pose any question and that is the meaning. Sanatan divide people on the basis of caste," Udhayanidhi said.

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