Supreme Court orders national anthem to be played before films in cinema halls
In an interim order, the Supreme Court has said the national anthem must be played before every film in cinemas across India, with the audience standing in respect. The case arises from a PIL filed by Bhopal engineer Shyam Narayan Chouksey.
Cinemas across the country will now play the national anthem before a film begins, and everyone present must stand to show respect to it. All the doors of the hall will remain closed during this time. Passing this interim order, the Supreme Court said the initiative would strengthen the spirit of patriotism and nationalism among people. The court has directed that the order take effect within ten days. The apex court has also banned the commercial use of the national anthem and its dramatisation.
A bench of Justice Dipak Misra and Justice Amitava Roy said the time had come for people to show their love for their motherland. People must feel that this is our country, this is my motherland, and that we are Indians first, the bench said. In other countries you follow their rules, yet in India you want no restriction of any kind, it observed. The bench also directed that the national flag be shown on screen whenever the anthem is played in a cinema hall.
The court said that under the Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act, 1971, it is every citizen's duty to show respect when the national anthem is being played. People must realise that the national anthem and the national flag deserve respect, the bench said. The anthem is a symbol of the patriotism enshrined in the Constitution and the essential spirit of the whole nation; it has nothing to do with individual opinions or rights.
The court further said that neither the national anthem nor the national flag may be used, directly or indirectly, for commercial purposes. There must be no dramatisation of the anthem, and it must not be used in any show. Neither the anthem nor any part of it should be printed on any object, and it should not be displayed in places where its dignity could be compromised. This is because the principle of protocol is attached to the singing of the anthem, which embodies national identity, national integrity and constitutional patriotism.
The court has asked that a copy of the order be sent to the chief secretaries of all states and union territories, and that it be published and broadcast in print and electronic media so that people know the Supreme Court has passed it. The court is hearing a public interest litigation filed by Bhopal engineer Shyam Narayan Chouksey, which seeks a ban on the misuse of the national anthem as well as on its commercial use.
