Sanatana Dharma row: Supreme Court says no more FIRs against Udhayanidhi Stalin without its permission

The Supreme Court on Thursday ordered that no further criminal cases should be registered against Tamil Nadu Minister and Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) leader Udhayanidhi Stalin in connection with his controversial comments on Sanatana Dharma without the top court's permission. .A Bench of Chief Justice of India (CJI) Sanjiv Khanna and Justice Sanjay Kumar passed the interim order on a plea filed by Stalin to club all such criminal cases filed against him across the country. "List in April. Interim order to continue and shall apply to the new cases added as well. We direct no further FIR to be registered on the same cause," the Court ordered today. .Notably, an amendment application filed in the matter revealed that a new first information report (FIR) has been registered against Stalin in Bihar as well. .The controversial remarks in focus were made by Stalin in September 2023 during a conference organised by the Tamil Nadu Progressive Writers Artists Association in Chennai, when he said,"Just like dengue, mosquitoes, malaria, or coronavirus need to be eradicated, we have to eradicate Sanatana."Stalin eventually moved the Supreme Court with a plea to club first information reports (FIRs) registered against him in different parts of the country in connection with this comment so that the same may be dealt with as a single criminal case.The top court initially criticised Stalin, remarking that he had abused his rights under Articles 19(1)(a) (freedom of speech and expression) and 25 (freedom of conscience and free profession, practice and propagation of religion) of the Constitution while making the comment. In May 2024, the Supreme Court issued notice to multiple State governments and complainants and sought their response to Stalin's plea.Meanwhile, Stalin has defended his speech and said that same was made before a particular audience, who are followers of the same ideology on the abolition of caste discrimination.The speech must be viewed with the backdrop of the caste-based discrimination, he said..During today's hearing, Senior Advocate Dr. AM Singhvi appeared for Stalin and argued that other commentators have got away without any consequences despite making worse comments."In Arnab Goswami, Nupur Sharma etc., FIRs were transferred in the first place. Nupur Sharma had worst utterances," Singhvi said..Representing the Government of Maharashtra (one of the places where Stalin has been booked), Solicitor General (SG) Tushar Mehta maintained that Stalin's comments were irresponsible."It was a Sanatana Dharma eradication conference. He said something is not to be dealt with but eradicated like Corona.. What would happen if CM of an other State said that any other religion has to be eradicated, then? Merely because the community which was sought to be eradicated does not react violently, this cannot be said," SG Mehta said..Merely because the community which was sought to be eradicated does not react violently, this cannot be said.SG Tushar Mehta ."As an apex court, we will not comment. It will impact the trial," CJI Khanna said.Meanwhile, Senior Advocate P Wilson, also appearing for Stalin, offered to take SG Mehta to Tamil Nadu."I would like to take the SG to our soil, Tamil Nadu ... I can meet the legal arguments, not political arguments. Solicitor General is making submissions for political masses," he said."These words were uttered in your soil. I cannot address press conferences. I am only addressing this court," SG Mehta retorted."You are more vehement than a private complainant now," Singhvi told the SG. "Yes, I agree," SG Mehta responded. "You crossing your brief," Wilson added, addressing the SG..[Read Live Coverage]