SC Declares National Anthem Optional in Cinema Halls, NPRD Welcomes the Order

The Supreme Court on Tuesday said that the playing of the national anthem before the screening of a movie in the cinema halls is not mandatory anymore. With this, the court overturned its November 30, 2016, order that had made the playing of the anthem mandatory in cinema halls before the screening of a film.

Disposing of the petition by Shyam Narayan Chouksey, the bench headed by Chief Justice Dipak Misra said that a 12-member inter-ministerial committee, set up by the Centre, would take a final call on the playing of the national anthem in the cinemas. The bench, also comprising Justices A M Khanwilkar and D Y Chandrachud, said the committee should comprehensively look into all the aspects relating to the playing of national anthem and allowed the petitioners to make representations before the panel.

The bench also made it clear that the exemption granted earlier to disabled persons from standing in the cinema halls when the national anthem is being played, shall remain in force till the committee takes a decision. This has been welcomed by the National Platform for the Rights of the Disabled (NPRD).

Last year, after the November 30 order, several incidents of disabled persons being beaten up and manhandled at cinema houses for being unable to stand up while the national anthem is being played, was reported consistently all across the country. The organisation had apprehended that both the court order and the Home Ministry guidelines would be misused by right-wing vigilante groups against any disabled person to brand them as being unpatriotic or anti-national. Hence they had filed an impleadment application with the apex court challenging the guidelines framed by the Ministry of Home Affairs in pursuance of the Supreme Court’s order of November 30 & December 9, 2016.

“While appreciating the order of the apex court, the NPRD reiterates that patriotism and nationalism cannot be imposed and has to be generated by inculcating democratic and secular values,” said a press statement by the NPRD.

(With inputs IANS)