"In Politics, You Cannot Take Everything to Heart": Supreme Court

 

The Supreme Court has remarked that those in politics cannot take every criticism personally. The remark was made during the hearing of an appeal filed by Information and Broadcasting Minister L. Murugan, challenging the criminal defamation case filed against him. The case was filed by the Murasoli Trust, accusing him of defamation based on comments he made in December 2020 during a political campaign.

Murugan had challenged the order passed by the Madras High Court on September 27, 2023, which refused to dismiss the criminal defamation case. The remarks were made during an election campaign, where Murugan, criticizing the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), allegedly defamed the Murasoli Trust. His remarks were perceived as tarnishing the reputation of the trust among the public.

The Bench's Remarks:

The Supreme Court bench commented, "In politics, you cannot take everything to heart." Murugan had approached the High Court seeking to quash the defamation proceedings initiated against him. He argued that his remarks were part of the electoral discourse and were not meant to personally defame anyone. The High Court refused to quash the proceedings, leading to his appeal before the Supreme Court.

Key Points:

• The Supreme Court remarked that politicians should not take every comment personally.
• The defamation case against Information and Broadcasting Minister L. Murugan was based on comments made during the 2020 political campaign.
• The Murasoli Trust filed a complaint alleging that Murugan's remarks damaged their reputation.

The Supreme Court heard the matter and expressed its views on the nature of political discourse, implying that political rhetoric should not always be taken as personal defamation. The court acknowledged that in public life, politicians often face criticism and that not every statement warrants legal action.