Petition in SC seeks contempt action against TN, Kerala DGPs in Sanatana Dharma dispute

The applicant said that the impugned comments amount to offences under Section 153A, 295A, 298, 505(1) & 505(2) of the Indian Penal Code.

New Delhi: A plea has been moved in the Supreme Court seeking to initiate contempt of court against the Directors General of Police (DGPs) of Tamil Nadu and Kerala over the controversy due to remarks on Sanatana Dharam.

The application has been moved by one PKD Nambiar through advocate Preeti Singh.

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In the application, the applicant mentioned the remarks made by the Kerala State Legislative Assembly Speaker, AN Shamseer and Tamil Nadu’s Minister for Youth Welfare and Sports Development Udhayanidhi Stalin.

According to the application, on July 21, 2023, the Kerala State Legislative Assembly Speaker, AN Shamseer, insulted Hindu Gods and rituals by dubbing them as mere myths. As per multiple reports, Shamseer while speaking at a function organised by the state education department, attacked Hindu beliefs and equated the story of Lord Ganapathy, worshipped by over a billion Hindus, to a myth, thereby causing unexplainable pain to followers of the faith.

On September 2, 2023, Udhayanidhi Stalin, at a public event titled ‘Sanatana Eradication Conference’ organised by the Tamil Nadu Progressive Writers Artists Association in Chennai reportedly said that Sanatana Dharma which is “against social justice and equality” should not only be opposed but “eradicated” from the country, the application copy said.

“That the impugned remarks amount to dog-whistling against Hindus, are an attempt to ridicule Hindu symbols of faith, are a clarion call for genocide against followers of Sanatana Dharma, are antithetical to the constitutional goal to promote fraternity and amounts to criminal hate speech,” read the application filed by PKD Nambiar.

However, despite the gravity of the issue, the concerned respondents in explicit violation of the orders of the top court dated August 28, 2023, have refused to register an FIR against the makers of the hate speech, he said.

The applicant said that the impugned comments amount to offences under Section 153A, 295A, 298, 505(1) & 505(2) of the Indian Penal Code.

“That the DGP’s of Kerala and Tamil Nadu have wilfully disobeyed the order of this Court dated August 4, 2023, and are liable to be proceeded against for contempt of court,” the applicant said seeking contempt of court against a senior police officer of Kerala and Tamil Nadu for wilful disobedience of the Supreme Court’s order.

The applicant also sought to implead him as a Petitioner in the hate speech matter owing to the fact that he is a profound follower of Hinduism and therefore, he is deeply pained and aggrieved by the act of the contemnors.

“That in order to address the sensitivity of the present scenario and to protect the sentiments of the people following Hinduism including the petitioner, it is necessary that the applicant beimpleaded as petitioner in the array of parties,” the applicant said.