Sanatan Dharma remark: SC refuses plea for FIR against Udhayanidhi Stalin

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Monday refused to examine pleas seeking FIR against Tamil Nadu Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin over his "eradicate Sanatan Dharma" remark in 2023.

The three petitions came up for hearing before a bench of Justices Bela M Trivedi and Prasanna B Varale.

After the bench asked how petitions filed under Article 32 of the Constitution could be maintained, the petitioners' counsel sought permission to withdraw the pleas with a liberty to pursue an appropriate remedy. Article 32 grants citizens the right to approach the apex court for constitutional remedies when their fundamental rights are violated.

Udhayanidhi, a well-known film actor and son of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and ruling DMK chief M K Stalin, was accused of passing the remark which a plea alleged was hate speech.

In September 2023, the apex court agreed to hear one of the pleas seeking registration of an FIR against Udhayanidhi and others over his "eradicate Sanatan Dharma" remark.