Nagpur: Complaint against Udhayanidhi Stalin, Raja, Kharge over Sanatan remarks

A fresh police complaint has been filed in Maharashtra’s Nagpur against Tamil Nadu minister Udhayanidhi Stalin, his Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) colleague A Raja, and Karnataka minister Priyank Kharge over their remarks about Sanatan Dharma.

In his complaint, Nagpur resident Ashish Gajanan Wandile said the remarks hurt the religious feelings of Sanatan Dharma followers. He sought a First Information Report against the three under the Indian Penal Code Sections 295A (deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage religious feelings) and 153A (promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language.)

Mukund Kawade, a senior police inspector at Nagpur’s Beltodi police station, said that they received the complaint on Friday along with newspaper cuttings and video clips. “We are verifying the complaint and will take appropriate action accordingly,” he said.

Stalin’s comments that “Sanatan Dharma should be eradicated” provoked outrage even as DMK maintained he spoke up against oppressive ideologies. Raja echoed Stalin.

Kharge, who was earlier also booked in Uttar Pradesh, has maintained he did not speak against any particular religion. “I said any religion that does not preach equality is not a religion.”