Chennai, Jan 21 (NationPress) The former president of the Tamil Nadu BJP, K. Annamalai, expressed his approval on Wednesday regarding the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court’s decision to annul the criminal charges against BJP national office-bearer Amit Malviya. He characterized the ruling as a significant warning against the exploitation of criminal laws for political purposes.

The High Court, in its decree dated January 20, dismissed the FIR filed by the Trichy City Crime Branch against Malviya, which was connected to a social media post about statements made by Tamil Nadu Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin concerning Sanatan Dharma.

The charges originated from a complaint lodged by Advocate Dinakaran, a district organizer for the DMK Advocates’ Wing. The complaint claimed that Malviya's post on the social media platform X could incite communal unrest and disrupt public tranquility.

This issue dates back to a speech given by Udhayanidhi Stalin in 2023 at the 'Sanatana Abolition Conference' hosted by the Tamil Nadu Progressive Writers and Artists Association.

During the event, the Minister differentiated between ideas that should simply be opposed and those he believed should be eliminated.

In his address, Udhayanidhi Stalin likened certain social evils to diseases such as dengue, malaria, and coronavirus, asserting that such ailments should not just be opposed but completely eradicated.

Extending this analogy, he posited that Sanatan should also be eliminated rather than merely opposed, indicating that the conference's title was fitting.

A video excerpt of this speech was subsequently shared by Amit Malviya on X. In his post, Malviya asserted that Udhayanidhi had equated Sanatan with lethal diseases and had effectively called for its eradication.

Malviya further accused that such remarks constituted a call for genocide against India's populace.

Following the complaint, the Trichy City Crime Branch lodged a case against Malviya under Sections 153 and 153A of the Indian Penal Code, which pertain to fostering enmity and actions detrimental to communal harmony.

In response to the case's registration, Amit Malviya petitioned the Madurai Bench of the High Court for its dismissal.

After reviewing the arguments, Justice Srimathi granted the petition, ordering the quashing of the criminal proceedings against Malviya, thus concluding the legal matter.