Relief For Udhayanidhi Stalin As Supreme Court Refuses To Entertain Writ Petitions Seeking Action Over 'Sanatan Dharma' Remark

The Supreme Court on Monday refused to entertain pleas seeking legal action, including registration of an FIR, against Tamil Nadu Deputy CM Udhayanidhi Stalin over his controversial statements on 'Sanatan Dharma'. Speaking at a conference in Chennai in September 2023, the then minister for sports and youth affairs had said, "Sanatana Dharma was against social justice and equality and that it should be 'eradicated' like malaria and dengue."

A bench of Justices Bela M. Trivedi and P.B. Varale questioned the maintainability of writ petitions filed under Article 32 of the Constitution.

Sending the disclination of the apex court to entertain the plea, senior advocate Dama Seshadri Naidu, appearing for B. Jagannath and two other petitioners, sought permission to withdraw the pleas.