A video posted yesterday on YouTube shows how a family is bullied to leave theatre because they didn’t stand while National Anthem was playing. The video is speculated to be either of Mumbai or Bangalore. As seen in the video, one person from the angry crowd is even threatening to slap the couple who refused to stand. The screening of the movie didn’t start till the couple left the theatre
Before we go looking into the issue from an emotional angel, we have to see what laws say, acc. to a court judgment in 2005, it is not mandatory to stand while National anthem is being played:
“It is the moral duty of a person to stand in the attention position when the National Anthem is played but if they do not do so, then, prima facae it is not a crime under the 1971 Act, and, under the 2002 National Flag Code, no mention of any crime is stated if a person is not standing at attention,”.
It is totally justified to ask anyone to stand and pay respect while national anthem is being played, but it is definitely not acceptable to force someone to stand, if the person is not willing as it is not a criminal offense but bullying someone is. Do let us know what do you think about it?
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