Tamil Nadu: In tit-for-tar response, BJP’s Amit Malviya booked for 'distorting' Udhayanidhi speech

Sep 06, 2023

Trichy (Tamil Nadu) [India], September 6 : In a tit-for-tat response to DMK leader and Tamil Nadu minister Udhayanidhi Stalin being booked over his rant against Sanatan Dharma, an FIR was filed against BJP's IT cell head, Amit Malviya, for allegedly 'spreading misinformation' and 'distorting' the remarks made by the former, Trichy police said.
Earlier, on Wednesday, the son of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin and Congress leader Priyank Kharge were booked for "hurting religious sentiments". An FIR was filed on a complaint by advocates at Rampur in Uttar Pradesh.
Malviya was booked on the basis of a complaint filed by the DMK's district organiser and advocate KAV Dhinakaran, alleging that he twisted Udhayanidhi's speech out of context in a post on X, formerly Twitter.
Malviya was booked under IPC sections 153, 153a, 504, 505-1b by the Trichy police on Wednesday.
The complaint was filed at the office of the Trichy Commissioner of Police, N Kamini.
Malviya had lashed out at the DMK leader following his eradicate 'Sanatan Dharam' rant at a conference in Chennai. 
The remarks triggered a backlash from the BJP, which accused the DMK and the Congress, its partner in Tamil Nadu, of advocating the abolition of Sanatan Dharma.
"Udhayanidhi Stalin, son of Tamilnadu CM MK Stalin, and a minister in the DMK Govt, has linked Sanatana Dharma to malaria and dengue… He is of the opinion that it must be eradicated and not merely opposed. In short, he is calling for genocide of 80% population of Bharat, who follow Sanatan Dharma," Malviya posted on X earlier.
Speaking at the Chennai conference, Udhayanidhi said 'Sanatana' (Sanatan Dharma) is like malaria and dengue, which should not be merely opposed but eradicated.
"A few things cannot be opposed but should only be abolished. We can't merely oppose dengue, mosquitoes, malaria, or corona. They have to be eradicated. Rather than opposing Sanatana, it should be eradicated."