Caste only a century old; Sanatana Dharma remarks amount to disinformation & hate: MHC flays Udhay, A Raja
However, there has been no conviction against the Tamil Nadu leaders as of now, and hence the quo warranto sought against them is premature, added the judge
Madras High Court
CHENNAI: The Sanatana Dharma remarks made by ministers Udhayanidhi Stalin and PK Sekarbabu and A Raja MP amounted to disinformation and hate against specific members of the society, said the Madras High Court.
Justice Anitha Sumanth said though the allegations raised in the quo warranto petition against the leaders were on point, there has been no conviction as of now. “Thus, the relief of quo warranto as sought for by the petitioners is premature as no cause of action arises at this juncture of time for such issuance,” the judge said in the order, which was made available on Thursday, a day after pronouncing it.
The ancient Varna system was not entirely accountable for the caste atrocities that prevailed in the society. The Varna system does not contemplate division on the basis of birth, but based on avocation. While the origins of the caste system as we know it today are less than a century old, the Varna system was designed to work towards the smooth functioning of society centuries ago. In that, the chief avocations were identified based on the then needs of society, the relevance of such a system today is itself moot, read the judgment.
“There are inequities based on caste present in society today and they are to be eschewed. The State is a cacophony of pulls and pressures of this ferocity among persons belonging to different castes, which is also, in part, on account of the benefits made available to them,” the judge opined.
The leaders equating Sanatana Dharma to HIV AIDS, leprosy, malaria, and coronavirus revealed an alarming lack of understanding of Hinduism. “Their statements, whatever may be their personal ideology, are perverse, divisive, and contrary to Constitutional principles and ideals and tantamount to gross dis or misinformation,” the judge added.
“If the leaders in a State wish to lead an egalitarian land with equal sharing of resources among all the people, they must set an example by exhibiting fairness in approach, moderation in speech, and a sincere desire to understand the differences between their people.
“Whatever be one’s faith, language or allegiance, the laws of the universe guarantee that Dharmo Rakshati Rakshitah (Dharma protects those who protect it),” wrote Justice Anitha Sumanth while concluding the order.
