‘You are not a layman, you should know consequences’

Court scolds Tamil Nadu Minister for ‘eradicate Sanatan dharma’ comment, questions plea to combine FIRs

‘You are not a layman, you should know consequences’

TN minister Udayanidhi Stalin. File pic/Ashwin Ferro

The Supreme Court on Monday rebuked Tamil Nadu Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin over his “eradicate Sanatan dharma” remark and asked why he has moved the court with his plea for clubbing together the FIRs filed against him after abusing his right to freedom of speech and expression.

A bench of justices Sanjiv Khanna and Dipankar Datta told Stalin that being a minister he should have been careful with his statements and mindful of the possible consequences they could have. “You abuse your right under Article 19(1)(a) (right to freedom of speech and expression of the Constitution). You abuse your right under Article 25 (freedom of conscience, the freedom to profess, practice, and propagate religion).”

“Now you are exercising your right under Article 32 (to file plea in the Supreme Court directly)? Do you not know the consequences of what you said? You are not a layman. You are a minister. You should know the consequences,” the bench said and adjourned the matter till March 15. Udhayanidhi Stalin, the minister of youth welfare and sports of Tamil Nadu, is a well known film actor and son of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and ruling DMK chief M K Stalin.

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