Plea in SC seeks FIR against Udhayanidhi, CBI probe into meeting titled 'Sanatan Dharma Eradication conference'

A plea has been filed in the Supreme Court by a Madras High Court advocate seeking a direction for CBI investigation into a meeting held on September 2 titled as 'Sanatana Dharma Eradication conference' and lodging of an FIR against Tamil Nadu minister Udhayanidhi Stalin. 

The plea filed by B Jagannath sought order of injunction against Udhayanidhi, son of TN Chief Minister M K Stalin, Peter Alphonse, A Raja, and Thol Thirumavalavan and their followers against making any further "hate speech" against Sanatana Dharma or Hinduism.

The matter was mentioned by a counsel for urgent hearing before a bench led by Chief Justice of India D Y Chandrachud. The bench declined urgent hearing on the petition on the ground that the plea “was not on the list for urgent mentioning”. 

“There is a certain SOP here and everyone has to follow it," the bench said. Another plea by advocate Vineet Jindal has been filed in the court seeking lodging of FIR against  Udhayanidhi Stalin and A Raja for "hate speeches against Sanatan Dharma".

Jagannath, in his plea, sought a declaration that participation of the state ministers in the meeting titled 'Sanatana Dharma Eradication conference' held on September 2, 2023 was unconstitutional and violative of Articles 25 and 26 of the Constitution. 

It also sought a direction against the Tamil Nadu State Government Higher Education Department that none of these conferences against any Hindu Dharma should take place in any secondary school as per the Supreme Court judgement in Hijab case of Karnataka.

The plea urged the apex court to immediately direct the state Director General of Police to submit a report as to how the conference was given police permission and why no action has been taken against those responsible for the said conference.

The plea sought a direction to the home secretary and the Director General of Police of the state of Tamil Nadu to immediately appoint a nodal officer for hate speech as per the Supreme Court 2018 judgement.

The petitioner contended that it is not known whether any permission was granted by the Tamil Nadu Police department for conducting such conferences, the heading and title of which suggests the same was being done for eradication of a particular religion. 

“If the police had indeed granted permission, they have the responsibility and duty to inform to this court whether there was political interference to the police department in granting permission for such conferences and if there was no permission granted, how come the organisers have not been arrested till date,” the plea asked.

"It is a State-sponsored propaganda against one particular religion. The State itself is sponsoring the ill idea and now they have taken young people like students in their hands," it said.