Karnataka Court Summons Tamil Nadu Minister Over Sanatana Remark

Tamil Nadu Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin has been summoned by a Karnataka court to appear before it over his Sanatana Dharma comments made last year.  

The State Sports Minister, who is also the son of Chief Minister MK Stalin, has been asked to appear before the Karnataka representative court on March 4 over his comments linking Sanatana Dharma to dengue and malaria, which sparked a huge row.

The issue also became a big talking point ahead of the assembly elections to five states last year as the BJP took it against the INDIA Alliance the DMK is part of.

A person named Paramesh had filed a private complaint against Junior Stalin.

Mr Stalin, 46, had defended his remark and said he would legally face the issue.

"There was nothing wrong in what I had spoken. We will face the matter legally. I will not change my stand. I have only talked about my ideology," he told reporters last year.

Sanatan Dharma is viewed differently in Tamil Nadu as a doctrine that perpetuates caste discrimination against oppressed communities for ages denying education and dignity.

Vehemently opposed by rationalist icon Periyar this has helped the DMK to gain political capital, championing the cause of backward classes using its social justice as a powerful plank.

Udhayanidhi Stalin had later explained the context in which he had spoken and even cited the fact how in his view  for the same reason President Murmu who belongs to a tribal community wasn't even invited to the new parliament's inauguration by Prime Minister Modi.