262 eminent personalities urge SCs suo moto intervention over TN CM's son 'hate' speech

A group comprising 262 distinguished citizens, which includes former high court judges, bureaucrats, and war veterans, has collectively composed a letter addressed to the Chief Justice of India. In their letter, they request the Chief Justice to exercise suo moto cognizance of the alleged hate speech delivered by Tamil Nadu Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin, the son of Chief Minister M.K. Stalin. This request is rooted in Udhayanidhi Stalin's comments concerning 'Sanatan Dharma'.

The letter underscores that Udhayanidhi Stalin's remarks constitute hate speech directed against a significant portion of India's population. Furthermore, it asserts that these comments strike at the very essence of the Indian Constitution, which envisions India as a secular nation. Notably, the state government has refrained from taking any action against Udhayanidhi Stalin and, instead, opted to defend his statements. This stance directly contradicts a Supreme Court judgment that directs state governments to proactively initiate action in cases of hate speech crimes, even without the necessity of a formal complaint.

"Since the State Government has refused to take action and acted in contempt of the Court's orders and gravely undermined or rather made a mockery of the rule of law, we urge the Hon'ble Supreme Court to take the suo moto notice of contempt, ensuring accountability for the inaction of the State Government of Tamil Nadu," the letter stated.

The Supreme Court had previously expressed concern about the escalating incidents of hate speech across the nation and had issued directives to government and law enforcement authorities, instructing them to initiate suo motu action in such instances without awaiting formal complaints.