Ara(Bihar): Bihar's Ara Court has taken fresh cognisance of the alleged controversial remarks made by the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin's son, Udhayanidhi Stalin on 'Sanatan Dharma'. The court said that the next hearing for the case has been scheduled on April 1.
On March 6, The Madras High Court, too, had lashed out at Tamil Nadu Sports Development Minister, Udhayanidhi Stalin, for his alleged remarks on Sanatan Dharma, asserting that equating the said Dharma to HIV, malaria, and dengue is against constitutional principles and amounts to propagating misinformation.
"Equating Sanatana Dharma to HIV, malaria, and dengue is against constitutional principles and amounts to spreading misinformation and is against constitutional principles and amounts to spreading misinformation," the High Court said.
Ara's advocate Dharnidhar Pandey, while filing complaint under section 298 of the Indian Penal Code (uttering words, etc., with deliberate intent to wound religious feelings) against Udhayanidhi Stalin in the court of Chief Judicial Magistrate, said that the latter's statement hurt religious sentiments.
Three witnesses have testified in this case, sources confirmed. On March 4, the Supreme Court's bench consisting of justices Sanjiv Khanna and Dipankar Datta, stated that the minister should be well aware of the ramifications of his remarks as a minister and questioned his decision to approach the top court after making divisive remarks.
"You abuse your right under Article 19(1)A of the Constitution (guarantees all citizens the right to freedom of speech and expression). You abuse your right under Article 25 (all persons are equally entitled to freedom of conscience and the right to freely profess, practice, and propagate religion subject to public order, morality and health). Now you are exercising your right under Article 32 (to file plea in the Supreme Court)? 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 apex court mentioned.
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