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Respecting the Supreme Court’s choice on the National Anthem not compulsory in the silver screen lobbies any longer, All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) President Asaduddin Owaisi on Tuesday said that many individuals, particularly from the minority group, who were physically handicapped, were bugged and targetted by all purported vigilantes who bolster the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) under the past request.
The Apex Court upset its earlier order and articulated that the National Anthem was not compulsory in the Movie theaters or silver screens any longer. The Supreme Court on Tuesdaymodified its November 30, 2016 interim order and made it optional for cinema halls to play the 52-second national anthem before every show.
The three-judge seat headed by Chief Justice of India (CJI) Dipak Misra and involving Justices AM Khanwilkar and DY Chandrachud passed the request of the National Anthem in film lobbies would, from now on, be not compulsory .
Chief Justice Dipak Misra, who had last year made it a must for the anthem to be played before every show at cinemas, was among the three judges who said today that the Centre should decide whether to modify that order without being influenced by what the court had said.
People do not need to stand up at a cinema hall to be perceived as patriotic,” the court said, adding that it “cannot be assumed that if a person does not stand up for national anthem, then he is less patriotic”. People go to movie halls for undiluted entertainment, said the judges.
The modification will be in place till the Union government takes a final decision on the recommendations of a 12-member high-profile inter-ministerial committee regarding the occasions, circumstances and events for the solemn rendering of the anthem.
The ministerial panel will examine whether any amendments are necessary to the Prevention of Insult to National Honour Act of 1971 to expand or specify the meaning of “respect” to the national anthem. The committee, which was set up on December 5, 2017, will submit its report in six months.