In a recent development, the Tamil Nadu police have taken action against BJP IT wing chief Amit Malviya for allegedly distorting remarks made by state minister Udhayanidhi Stalin regarding Sanatan Dharma. Mr. Malviya, through a post on the social media platform X (formerly Twitter), claimed that the Chief Minister's son had advocated for a "genocide" of Sanatana Dharma followers. This led to the filing of a First Information Report (FIR) against him, citing charges including provoking riots and creating enmity among communities, According to media reports.
This incident follows similar legal actions taken by the Uttar Pradesh Police, who booked Udhayanidhi and Karnataka minister Priyank Kharge for allegedly "outraging religious feelings" in response to the controversy surrounding Stalin's statement. The FIR against the DMK and Congress leaders was lodged at the Civil Lines police station in Rampur, based on a complaint filed by lawyer Ram Singh Lodhi.
Udhayanidhi's original statement, where he expressed the view that Sanatan Dharma should be "eradicated", claiming it opposes principles of equality and social justice, has sparked intense debates. He made these remarks during his address to the Tamil Nadu Progressive Writers and Artists Association in Chennai.
In a further twist, an additional police case has been filed against Uttar Pradesh seer Piyush Rai, who offered a ₹10 crore bounty for Udhayanidhi Stalin.
Responding to the controversy, Udhayanidhi Stalin stated firmly, "We are not those who will be afraid of such intimidation. I am the grandson of Karunanidhi, who slept on railway tracks for Tamil Nadu. We are not worried about these threats."
