Police in Chennai on Sunday registered a case against seven people for not standing up during the playback of the national anthem in a theatre, The Hindu reported. The seven also allegedly clicked photographs while the anthem was being played, which led to an altercation with another group who had come to watch the move being featured.
The police charged the seven under sections of the Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act, 1971. A police officer said the accused seven were detained after a patrol team saw the two groups fighting outside the theatre. The officer said their inquiry revealed that the fight began after one person inside the movie hall questioned them for not standing up during the anthem.
However, one of the seven accused filed a separate complaint alleging that the group which fought with her had abused and threatened her. This is the first reported instance of a case being filed against a group for not standing up during the playback of the national anthem after a recent Supreme Court order on the matter.
During its November 30 ruling, the apex court had said that the national anthem must be accompanied by the national flag on the screen and everyone in the audience must stand up. The justices had added that the anthem should “not be printed on undesirable objects or be displayed in such a manner and at such places which may be disgraceful to its status and may tantamount to disrespect”. The court later said that doors of movie halls should not be bolted when the national anthem plays in theatres and exempted differently abled persons from standing up during the anthem.
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