7 March 2024 7:23 AM GMT
While making strong criticism against TN Minister Udayanidhi Stalin, Minister Sekar Babu and MP A Raja for their recent remarks against the Sanatana Dharma, the Madras High Court observed that Sanatana Dharma connotes an uplifting, noble, and virtuous code of conduct. The court thus opined that the divisive meaning that was attributed to Sanatana Dharma by the Ministers/MP was erroneous.
Justice Anita Sumanth further noted that though it was true that there were inequities in the caste system present in society today which had to be eschewed, the Varna System could not be entirely blamed for the torturous circumstances as the origins of the caste system were less than a century old.
The Court was responding to the argument of the respondents that they were criticising the caste system through their comments about 'Sanatana Dharma'.
The court added that division based on caste was prevalent in the State, and those in power had to take efforts to eliminate such evils instead of fanning casteist passions which was against the interest of the State. The court observed that if the leaders wanted to lead an egalitarian land with equal sharing of resources, they had to set an example by exhibiting fairness in approach, moderation in speech and a sincere desire to understand the differences between the people.
The court noted that the varna system was not intended to create division based on birth but based on avocation which was then necessary for the smooth functioning of the society. However, in the court's opinion, the relevance of such a classification in today's society was mute. The court also highlighted that repair and damage control was necessary to correct the unfairness of the past and a sincere introspection was necessary to evolve methods to correct injustices and foster equality.
The court added that the purpose of faith was to unify and not divide and the leaders in all faiths could identify the broad points of unity among the branches of their faiths rather than focusing on the narrow differences between them. The court added that this effort taken by the leaders to unite rather than divide decides the bonafide of the leadership.
The remarks were made while disposing of petitions seeking the removal of TN Minister Udayanidhi Stalin, Minister Sekar Babu and MP A Raja for their comments against 'Sanatana Dharma'. The Court declined to issue a writ of quo warrant for the removal of them on the ground that at the moment, there is no action taken in law to disqualify them.
No benefit to be gained in re-visiting past events
Justice Sumanth further observed :
"It is a matter of record that there have been severe ravages by fellowmen, at differing points in time, to different sections of society, all in the name of supremacy and domination of caste as well as a response to perceived domination by certain castes. I refrain from chronicling the details, as not being directly relevant to the subject matter of this order and also for the reason that there is no benefit to be gained in re-visiting past events and episodes that have been the source of pain, trauma and deep sadness to sections of people at different points in time.
Suffice it to say that such events must be deprecated and this Court does so unequivocally. There must be repair and damage control on an ongoing basis to correct the unfairness of the past. There must, consequently, also be sincere introspection on the methods that can be evolved to correct injustices and foster equality, today and going forward."