The Supreme Court of India on Thursday, March 7, 2025, barred new legal cases against Tamil Nadu Deputy Chief Minister and DMK leader Udhayanidhi Stalin regarding his controversial “eradicate Sanatan Dharma” statement unless specifically permitted by the court.
This order comes in response to multiple FIRs already registered in Maharashtra, Bihar, and Jammu, sparking a political and legal storm.
Key Highlights:
Senior advocate AM Singhvi, representing Stalin, brought to the court’s attention that despite previous directions, fresh FIRs were being registered. Referring to the court’s earlier recommendation of clubbing all FIRs for a joint trial in Karnataka, Singhvi urged the Supreme Court to intervene.
In response, a bench led by Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna and Justice Sanjay Kumar issued a directive prohibiting the registration of new FIRs while serving notices to those who filed complaints.
Additionally, Udhayanidhi Stalin has been granted protection from arrest in these new cases while his existing legal safeguards remain in place.
The Sanatan Dharma Controversy: How It Started
The controversy erupted in September 2023, when Udhayanidhi Stalin made a controversial statement at a conference. The DMK leader claimed that Sanatan Dharma is opposed to social justice and equality and called for its eradication.
He further compared Sanatan Dharma to diseases like coronavirus, malaria, and dengue, emphasizing that it must be “destroyed” for societal progress.
The remarks sparked nationwide outrage, with political leaders, religious groups, and opposition parties filing FIRs across multiple states against Stalin for hurting religious sentiments.
What Happens Next?
📌 April 28, 2025 – The next Supreme Court hearing will determine whether all FIRs against Udhayanidhi Stalin will be consolidated for trial in Karnataka.
📌 No fresh FIRs can be registered without the Supreme Court’s approval.
📌 Legal experts suggest that this ruling provides significant relief to Stalin, but the larger debate on freedom of speech vs. religious sentiments continues.
The Supreme Court’s intervention in the Udhayanidhi Stalin case highlights the legal and political complexity surrounding the Sanatan Dharma remarks controversy. While Stalin remains protected from new cases, the ongoing legal proceedings will continue to shape the debate in the coming months.
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