Team News Riveting
Chennai, September 4
The Tamil Nadu unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has sought the permission of state Governor R N Ravi to initiate criminal proceedings against Tamil Nadu Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin for allegedly abusing Sanatan Dharma.
On Saturday, son of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin and state’s youth and sports affairs minister Udhayanidhi said Sanatan Dharma should be “eradicated”, alleging that it is against equality and social justice. “Some things cannot be opposed; they should be eradicated. Mosquitoes, dengue fever, malaria, and Corona cannot be opposed. They should be eradicated. So should Sanatan [Dharma],” he said in his address to Tamil Nadu Progressive Writers and Artists Association in Chennai.
The comments sparked a row, with Union Home Minister Amit Shah lashing out at the INDIA Bloc for “insulting this country’s culture, history and Sanatan Dharma”.
Tamil Nadu BJP state secretary A Ashvathaman in a letter to Governor R N Ravi said, “I request you to give permission to initiate criminal proceedings against Udhayanidhi Stalin, Minister for Youth Welfare and Sports Development of Tamil Nadu, for his ‘derogatory’ comments on Hindu Sanatana Dharma.”
He (the minister) purposefully made the hate speech with the intention of hurting the feelings of Hindus and to introduce and provoke them by the hurt, Ashvathaman said. “And he wantonly giving provocation with the intent to cause riot. His speech promotes enmity between groups on grounds of religion and he acts prejudicial to maintenance of harmony,” he added.
The BJP state secretary said that Stalin Junior has committed a criminal offence. “He committed a criminal offence under IPC Sections 153, 153 A, 295, 295(a), 296, 298, 499, 504 and 505. Hence, it is necessary to provide the permission/sanction under CrPC 197 to initiate criminal proceedings against Udhayanidhi Stalin for this derogatory and offensive statement,” added Ashvathaman.
Meanwhile, Udhayanidhi said he was ready to face any action. “I am reiterating that I only criticised Sanatan Dharma and said that Sanatan Dharma should be eradicated. I will say this continuously,” Udhayanidhi told reporters.
