Madras HC quashes FIR against BJP’s Amit Malviya in Udhayanidhi's 'Sanatana Dharma' remark case

Madurai (PTI): The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court has quashed an FIR registered against BJP leader Amit Malviya for alleged distortion of comments made by Deputy Chief Minsiter Udhayanidhi Stalin on 'Sanatana Dharma'.

Justice S Srimathy said the comments of Udhayanidhi were tantamount to hate speech and held that questioning it was a reaction.

BJP leader K Annamalai said the court has quashed the vindictive and politically motivated FIR filed by "the corrupt, anti-Hindu" DMK government against Amit Malviya.

Udayanidhi, son of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin, had kicked up a political row by stating that 'Sanatan Dharma' is against equality and social justice, and that it should be eradicated, He had also likened 'Sanatan Dharma' to coronavirus, malaria, and fever caused by dengue virus and mosquito, and said such things should not be opposed but destroyed.

Reacting to Udayanidhi Stalin's comments, Malviya had lambasted the DMK leader, accusing him of calling for genocide of 80 percent of people who follow Sanatan Dharma.

The Tamil police then filed an FIR under various sections of the erstwhile Indian Penal Code (IPC) against the BJP leader.