Karnataka HC Stays Further Probe In FIR Against Organisers Of Event Where Udhayanidhi Stalin Made Allegedly Controversial Remarks On Sanatan Dharma

The Karnataka High Court on Friday stayed further investigation in an FIR registered against organisers of a meet in Chennai where DMK leader Udhayanidhi Stalin, made controversial remarks about Sanatana Dharma.

A Single-judge bench of Justice Krishna S Dixit granted interim relief to S.U. Venkatesan and others. It said “Issue stay of all further proceedings, in the court below till next date of hearing.”

Senior Advocate Professor Ravivarma Kumar appearing for the petitioners argued that the speech was made by Udhaynidhi Stalin and attracts provisions under section 153A so far as accused no 1. The Supreme Court is seized of the matter where transfer petitions are filed regarding cases filed against him in different states.

Following this, the court orally observed, “The way allegations are made whether we agree or not with some faiths, religions or tents, scriptures is one thing but denigrating them is another.”

In reply, Kumar said “Almost all religions in the world are Monotheism, except Hindu Religion. Hindu religion from inception has accepted not only theism but atheism. Tolerance that is practised upon the Hindus is of the highest order.”

To which the bench said “That is the reason why all other…many faiths came to this country. Christianity...Pandit Nehru writes in his book Glimpses of World History...Christianity came to India before it went to Europe. Jews came, Parsis came, Jeohavas came. Muslims came.”

Kumar replied, “That is a very interesting debate why other religions came to India…but Buddhism was driven out of India. However, Justice Dixit retorted, “Buddhism is part of Hinduism, that is how Panicker writes.”

Referring to a recent incident where three persons were lynched for transporting cattle, Kumar submitted, “Can we call this tolerance. All over the country this is happening..people are lynched.”

The bench then said, “Thousands of Pandits were murdered and many of their women were ravished and many were driven out, history says so.”

Observing that “Co-existence is the mantra," the Bench said that although we may not agree with each other, we should respect each other.

"That is the cult which the constitution wants. It is not for one particular community. This country is meant for all the communities, we have been residing here and we hold it as our motherland,” the Court concluded.

Following this it passed the interim order.

Case Title: SU. VENKATESAN & OThers AND PARAMESHA V

Case No: CRL.P 5787/2024