[Senior advocate C U Singh, appearing for Kodungallur Film Society, said forcing the national anthem on people in cinema halls would not promote nationalism. The bench, after hearing all sides, said it didn't mean to do moral policing and the issue needed to be debated in a larger perspective. "Our order may be correct or may be incorrect. This has to be debated and decided after hearing all sides," it said while posting the case for final disposal on April 18.]
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/need-not-stand-for-national-anthem-if-it-is-in-film-says-supreme-court/articleshow/57155987.cms Need not stand for National Anthem if it is in film, says Supreme Court Amit Anand Choudhary | TNN | Updated: Feb 15, 2017, 11.35 AM IST NEW DELHI: There is no need to compulsorily stand up when the national anthem is sung or played as part of a film or documentary, the Supreme Court said on Tuesday while clarifying its earlier order in the wake of reports that people were assaulted for not rising when the anthem was played during a film. In its earlier order, the apex court had invoked what it called "constitutional patriotism" to say that people need to stand up when the national anthem was played before screening of a film. However, it was not clear whether the requirement to show deference to the national anthem applied even when it was played as part of the script. The court's clarification followed reports of people being beaten and bullied in cinema halls for not standing up for the national anthem when it was played in the middle of Aamir Khan-starrer 'Dangal'. It is clarified that when the national anthem is sung or played in the storyline of a feature film or as part of the newsreel or documentary, apart from what has been stated in the order dated November 30, 2016, the audience need not stand," a bench of Justices Dipak Misra and R Banumathi said. It, however, said the apex court's interim order, making it mandatory for cinema halls to play the national anthem before screening of films, would continue. Importantly, as part of the arguments on Tuesday, attorney general Mukul Rohatgi said singing the anthem should be made mandatory in schools as part of instilling patriotism in the population. The court had said in its November order that the national anthem must be played in all cinema halls before a film was screened and everyone present must stand up. Top Comment Good decision. In fact a national anthem is a sacred and solemn expression of faith to my country. Watching on the screen and the very next clip is of sunny leone or a lurid visual makes a mockery of... Read More Saleemraikodi Saleem SEE ALL COMMENTSADD COMMENT The SC order was criticised by some sections and several petitions filed seeking recall of the verdict. Challenging the SC's direction, senior advocate Rajeev Dhawan said the court shouldn't have passed the order as making the national anthem mandatory at places of entertainment was "popcorn nationalism" and amounted to "moral policing". The Centre, however, stoutly defended the court's order and said there was no compulsion to sing the national anthem but people must stand up. Rohatgi also said singing of national anthem should be made mandatory in schools. ***Senior advocate C U Singh, appearing for Kodungallur Film Society, said forcing the national anthem on people in cinema halls would not promote nationalism. The bench, after hearing all sides, said it didn't mean to do moral policing and the issue needed to be debated in a larger perspective. "Our order may be correct or may be incorrect. This has to be debated and decided after hearing all sides," it said while posting the case for final disposal on April 18.*** [Emphasis added.] -- Peace Is Doable -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Green Youth Movement" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. To post to this group, send an email to [email protected]. Visit this group at https://groups.google.com/group/greenyouth. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.
