Madras High Court Quashes FIR Against BJP Leader Over Sanatana Dharma Remarks

The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court has dismissed an FIR against BJP's Amit Malviya, accused of distorting comments by Tamil Nadu Deputy CM Udhayanidhi Stalin on Sanatana Dharma. Justice S Srimathy stated that Stalin's remarks constituted hate speech advocating the abolition of Sanatana Dharma.

The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court has set aside an FIR filed by the Tiruchi city police against BJP leader Amit Malviya. The charges stemmed from allegations that Malviya had distorted comments made by Tamil Nadu Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin regarding Sanatana Dharma.

Justice S Srimathy, in her judgment, noted that Udhayanidhi's original remarks amounted to "hate speech," as they advocated for the eradication rather than opposition to Sanatana Dharma. The court advised that the minister's speech should be assessed in its entirety to understand its implications fully.

In a 2023 social media post, Malviya accused Udhayanidhi of linking Sanatana Dharma to diseases like malaria and dengue, suggesting its eradication akin to genocide. The comments followed Udhayanidhi's statement at a Chennai conference, comparing Sanatana Dharma to maladies that should be eliminated rather than merely contested.

(With inputs from agencies.)