Udhayanidhi Stalin refuses to apologise for remarks on Sanatana Dharma
Chennai: Tamil Nadu Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin has reiterated that he will not apologise for his controversial statements advocating the "eradication" of Sanatana Dharma. He clarified that his remarks were aimed at addressing what he called the repressive practices against women. Stalin, a leader of the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), said his words were misinterpreted, leading to the controversy that began in September 2023.
Speaking at an event on Monday, Udhayanidhi highlighted that his views were in line with the beliefs of prominent Dravidian leaders such as Periyar, former Chief Minister CN Annadurai, and his grandfather, M Karunanidhi. "Women were historically denied education, confined to their homes, and forced to die if their husbands passed away. Periyar spoke against these practices, and I echoed what Periyar, Anna, and Kalaignar stood for," he said.
In September 2023, Udhayanidhi, the son of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin, sparked controversy after comparing Sanatana Dharma to diseases like "dengue" and "malaria" and calling for its eradication. He argued that Sanatana Dharma was opposed to social justice and equality, a statement that led to widespread backlash, especially from the BJP and Hindu organisations, resulting in legal cases being filed against him.
Despite the criticism, Udhayanidhi maintained that his remarks were misrepresented. "They asked me to apologise, but I stand by what I said. I am the grandson of Kalaignar, and I will not apologise," he asserted, vowing to face the legal challenges.
The Deputy Chief Minister also accused the central government of attempting to impose Hindi in Tamil Nadu, citing the omission of certain words from the state anthem during a recent Doordarshan Tamil programme as evidence. He urged new parents to choose Tamil names for their children, as a way of resisting the imposition of Hindi through policies such as the new education system.
Udhayanidhi, who previously served as the state's sports minister, was appointed Deputy Chief Minister on September 30, 2024. His elevation was reportedly delayed due to the controversy surrounding his Sanatana Dharma remarks.
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UP man gets life term for electrocuting mentally challenged wife to death in Bareilly
Bareilly (UP) (PTI): A local court here has sentenced a man to life imprisonment for murdering his mentally challenged wife by repeatedly electrocuting her while she was tied to a cot, lawyers said on Thursday.
Additional district government counsel Harendra Singh Rathore said Additional Sessions Judge Avinash Kumar Singh on Wednesday convicted Vinod Kumar (45) for killing his wife, Satyavati, in Chaina village of Bareilly district and imposed a fine of Rs 15,000 on him.
According to the prosecution, he was allegedly frustrated with his wife Satyavati's mental illness and often assaulted her.
Rathore said the prosecution examined nine witnesses to establish the charges against him.
As per court records, on the night of May 1-2, 2022, when Satyavati was asleep, Vinod tied her hands and legs to a cot using ropes and then connected an aluminium cable to an electric board to repeatedly administer electric shocks to her.
"She writhed in pain, but the accused continued to electrocute her until she died," the prosecution said.
The court observed that the murder was carried out in an inhuman manner.
After committing the crime, the accused threw the rope and cable on the roof and left for work at a brick kiln around 2 am to create a false alibi.
He later tried to mislead the police and the victim's family by claiming that Satyavati, whose mental condition was unstable, had accidentally died by suicide after grabbing a live electric wire.
However, the victim's brother, Sanjeev, a resident of Shahjahanpur district, suspected foul play and lodged an FIR under sections 498A (husband subjecting wife to cruelty) and 302 (murder) of the Indian Penal Code at Nawabganj police station.
During the trial, the prosecution relied on the post-mortem report prepared by Dr Faraz Anwar, who stated that multiple electrocution marks found on different parts of the victim's body could not have been self-inflicted.
The police also recovered the rope and electric wire used in the crime on the accused's identification, officials said.
