Udayanidhi Stalin granted bail in case linked to 'eradicate Sanatana Dharma' remarks

A Bengaluru court on Tuesday granted bail to Tamil Nadu Minister Udayanidhi Stalin in a case pertaining to his 'eradicate Sanatana Dharma' remark.

Earlier in the day, Stalin appeared before the 42nd Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate after a notice was served. A social activist Paramesh filed a petition against the DMK leader for his remark on Sanatana Dharma. The next hearing will be on August 8.

Stalin, who holds Sports and Youth Affairs portfolio, got the bail with a surety of Rs one lakh.

Speaking at a conference in Chennai in September 2023, Stalin had triggered a stir by saying Sanatana Dharma was against social justice and equality and that it should be 'eradicated' like malaria and dengue.

The statement had drawn widespread condemnation from various quarters and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) used it as a weapon to attack I.N.D.I.A bloc constituents, especially to Congress.

Congress is anti-Sanatan’: JP Nadda

BJP used the controversial comment by junior Stalin to attack Congress which is an ally of DMK. BJP president JP Nadda on several occasions during Lok Sabha elections campaigns alleged the Congress is “anti-Sanatan”.

Recalling that Tamil Nadu minister Udhayanidhi Stalin had denigrated Sanatana Dharma as dengue, malaria and HIV, Nadda said that no Congress leader condemned his statement. The BJP president claimed that all other political parties compromised with their ideology but the BJP remained firm and constructed the grand Ram Temple at Ayodhya, performed 'Pran Pratistha', scrapped Article 370 and rid the Muslim women from the evil of triple talaq.

(With PTI inputs)

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