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Defamation proceedings against Acharya stayed

By Our Staff Reporter

CHENNAI FEB. 19. The Madras High Court today stayed defamation proceedings initiated by a Puthiya Tamizhagam office-bearer against the Kanchi Sankaracharya, Jayendra Saraswathi, in judicial magistrate-I court at Kancheepuram.

Justice V. Kanagaraj granted the interim injunction and ordered notice to the respondents, returnable by February 26.

The PT Chinna Kancheepuram town secretary, G. Neemegham, had filed the defamation suit for the Acharya's speeches pertaining to temple worship reported in a Tamil daily on October 7, 2002.

As per the complaint, the Sankaracharya had said the word `Harijan' was more appropriate than `Dalit' to refer to oppressed classes.

Taking the complaint on file the magistrate sent summons to the Mutt head.

In his petition, seeking to quash the proceedings in the lower court, the Acharya said many complaints had been filed in various courts all over Tamil Nadu with the sole motive humiliating him and the Mutt.

It was only a word of advice without any intention to harm the reputation of any person, and there could not be defamation against an entire community as such.

Only individuals, and not communities, had reputation, the Acharya contended.

The senior counsel, Mohan Parasaran, appearing for the Mutt chief, questioned the locus standi of the PT office-bearer and said courts had consistently held that the person aggrieved must have a legal grievance.

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