NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Friday once again deferred the hearing to February 2025, on Tamil Nadu Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin’s plea seeking to club multiple FIRs lodged against him over his controversial remarks on Sanatan Dharma.
A two-judge bench of the top court, led by Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna and Justice Sanjay Kumar, however, made it clear in its order on Friday that the interim order, which exempted Stalin from appearing physically in trial courts, would remain in effect until further notice and till thr court hears the matter further in February 2025.
The apex court allowed the plea of senior advocate Abhishek Singhvi, representing Stalin, who told the court that several respondents in the case were yet to file their replies.
Udhayanidhi had in September last year in one of his speeches compared ‘Sanatana Dharma’ to diseases like ‘malaria’ and ‘dengue’. He also advocated for its elimination on grounds that it was rooted in the caste system and historical discrimination. Following this, several criminal complaints were registered against Udhayanidhi as well as pleas being filed in the Supreme Court seeking action against him.
In one of the hearings on March 4, the apex court pulled up TN minister Udhayanidhi Stalin for his alleged “Sanatana Dharma” remarks, and observed that you are not a layman, you are a minister, and you should know the consequences of saying all these, while hearing his plea seeking clubbing of FIRs filed against him in various states.
“You (Udhayanidhi Stalin) abused freedom of speech & religion,” SC had slammed the DMK leader and son of the Tamil Nadu CM, M K Stalin, for his alleged remarks.