The Supreme Court on Monday rebuked Tamil Nadu Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin over his “eradicate Sanatan dharma” remark and asked why he has moved the court with his plea for clubbing together the FIRs filed against him after abusing his right to freedom of speech and expression.

A bench of justices Sanjiv Khanna and Dipankar Datta told Stalin that being a minister he should have been careful with his statements and mindful of the possible consequences they could have. “You abuse your right under Article 19(1)(a) (right to freedom of speech and expression of the Constitution). You abuse your right under Article 25 (freedom of conscience, the freedom to profess, practice, and propagate religion).”