The Madras High Court has dismissed a complaint against VCK leader and Lok Sabha MP Thol Thirumavalavan, who was accused of delivering hate speech against Indian women, particularly Hindu women, during an online conference in 2020.
In a recent ruling, Justice P. Velmurugan quashed the private complaint filed against Thirumavalavan after reviewing a petition filed by the politician. The complaint alleged that Thirumavalavan’s speech, broadcasted on YouTube, amounted to hate speech directed at women in India.
The judge, after examining the complaint, concluded that the allegations were not supported by evidence sufficient to substantiate a legal offense under the Indian Penal Code (IPC) or the Information Technology Act. Thirumavalavan’s speech had referred to the book “Manu Smriti,” but the judge found no direct reference to specific contents from the book or any clear incitement in the speech itself.
The judge pointed out that the complainant failed to demonstrate any connection between Thirumavalavan’s words and the contents of “Manu Smriti,” which was only mentioned in passing during the speech. Furthermore, the court noted that there was no evidence suggesting that the MP had the intention to incite hate or harm anyone through his comments. The judge emphasized that Thirumavalavan’s speech was general in nature and did not constitute a punishable offense.
As a result, the Madras High Court ruled in favor of the VCK leader, quashing the private complaint filed in the District Munsif-cum-Judicial Magistrate Court in Peraiyur, Madurai District.
