CHENNAI: Slamming Tamil Nadu Minister for K Ponmudy his derogatory speech against religious denominations, the Madras High Court on Thursday instructed the state police to register an FIR against him for the “hate speech” and inform the court by April 23, 2025.
Justice N Anand Venkatesh said only one FIR is enough instead of registering multiple FIRs based on the complaints received and warned that the court will take suo motu case if the police failed to do so.
“If you don’t register (FIR), will take a suo motu contempt case. Now the court has taken cognizance (of the matter),” he told Advocate General PS Raman.
When the AG responded saying that enquiry is being held on the matter, the judge said the police need wait for holding enquiry since the person himself has accepted what he has spoken.
Pointing out that the video of the derogatory speech is still on in public domain and it cannot be allowed to continue, Justice Venkatesh said, “The moment I get into it, this will get a different colour. But I don’t want to”
Stating that law applies to everybody, the judge said when the government takes hate speech made by others seriously, the same approach shall also be taken against the persons who are part of the government.
The impression that somebody holding public office can get off even after venturing into making scurrilous statements should be wiped off, he stressed.
Ponmudy had made the derogatory comments against Saivism, Vaishnavism and women recently while addressing a public event. It led to widespread outrage and condemnation. Subsequently, he tendered an open apology. The DMK leadership stripped him off the post of Deputy General Secretary of the party.
Earlier, during the hearing of a suo motu revision case against the acquittal of the minister from a disproportionate assets case by the principal sessions and district court in Vellore, the judge expressed angst against him for making such derogatory comments “with full consciousness” against women and religious denominations and said such comments cannot be termed as a slip of the tongue.
He also disapproved of the public apology tendered by Ponmudy and wanted the AG to inform the court by 4.45 pm on whether an FIR was registered on the issue.
The judge, further, noted that the Supreme Court has suspended his conviction and sentence in another DA case with conditions and the apex court can be approached for recalling such relief given to him.
Stating that the Supreme Court has made it clear that FIRs shall be registered without waiting for a complaint lodged in the case of “hate speech”.
It may be noted that public interest litigation petition was filed in the court seeking to disqualify Ponmudy from holding the public office on the ground that he has violated the oath he has taken as a minister.