New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Wednesday observed that one should be ready to receive all sorts of unwarranted and unnecessary compliments after entering politics while hearing union minister L Murugan's plea in a defamation case.
In September last year, the apex court put on hold the criminal defamation proceedings against Murugan on a complaint filed by Chennai-based Murasoli Trust. The trust had filed the complaint regarding his alleged defamatory statements at a press conference in December 2020.
The matter came up for hearing today before a bench comprising Justices B R Gavai and K V Viswanathan. The bench asked the counsel, representing the trust, "Are you willing to make a statement that you had no intention to defame?" The counsel submitted that persons holding office had to be responsible.
The bench observed, “free speech issues, you have to have breathing space .... when you enter politics, you should be ready to receive all sorts of unwarranted, unnecessary compliments”. Trust’s counsel said they were not involved in politics.
The bench said the petitioner is making a statement that he did not intend to hurt your sentiments. The trust's counsel sought time till Thursday to seek instructions from the client.
The bench said they should fight the battles before the public, and added, “nowadays, it is said in Maharashtra that if you have to be in politics, you must have the skin of a rhino”.
The bench has scheduled the matter for further hearing on December 5. Murugan, union minister of state for Information and Broadcasting, moved the top court challenging the September 5, 2023 order of the Madras High Court, which refused to quash the defamation proceedings.
