Bihar: Case registered against DMK leader Udhayanidhi Stalin over Sanatan Dharma remark

A case has been registered under section 298 IPC (hurting religious feelings) in Arrah, Bihar against Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam leader Udhayanidhi Stalin over this remark on Sanatan Dharma.

The Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM) court in Arrah district of Bihar has summoned Stalin over comments allegedly defaming Sanatan Dharma. Udhayanidhi, son of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin, has been asked to appear before the court on April 1.

Charges have been framed under Indian Penal Code (IPC) Section 298, as a result of testimonies given by the plaintiff and other witnesses. Udhayanidhi triggered controversy following his speech at the 'Sanatana Abolition Conference' in September last year, when he compared Sanatan Dharma to diseases like mosquito-borne fevers and coronavirus, saying it needed to be eradicated similarly.

Speaking at ‘Sanatana Abolition Conference’ in September last year, Udhayanidhi had said, “There are some things which we have to eradicate and we can’t merely oppose. Mosquitoes, dengue fever, malaria, corona, all these are things which we cannot oppose, we have to eradicate them. Sanatanam is also like this.”

The complainant's petition argues that the statement not only disrespected Hindu Dharma followers, but also instigated divisions among religious groups. The petition additionally claimed Udhayanidhi used inflammatory language to provoke discord and jeopardize national unity.

Lawyer Dharni Dhar Pandey filed the complaint under IPC Sections 120(B), 153(A), 153(B), 295(A) and 298. Advocate Aditya, the primary witness for the complainant, highlighted that Indian law forbids passing remarks on caste and religion.

The CJM court, under civil Judge Manoranjan Jha, acknowledged the complaint and instructed Udhayanidhi to either appear personally or through his lawyer to apply for bail. The court has scheduled the next hearing for April 1, 2024.