As if India has not had enough of mob-enforced morality of late, it is now that time of the year when another non-issue is turned into a cultural bone of contention. It is not mandatory to stand while the Indian national anthem is being played, as courts have ruled over the years, with the only expectation being that you "show respect." Yet stories routinely emerge of PVR patriots and assorted cinema-goers keen to assert their status as True Indians, by taking issue with anyone else who isn't standing up for the routine playing of the national anthem before movies in some states.
The video above was uploaded by Sunny S on November 29 and has begun making its way around the internet, as these things do. The Times of India, while unable to verify the actual location of the incident, whether in Bengaluru or Mumbai, did mention that the couple kicked out of the cinema hall for refusing to stand was Muslim. Some reports also mention the people being kicked out as a "couple", while others say it was a family of four.
The video itself shows angry cinema-goers standing around a couple that seems to have refused to stand up for the anthem. One man can audibly be heard threatening to slap one of them. " The man seems to be attempting to reason with the crowd, before eventually deciding to leave the cinema, to applause from everyone else.
This wouldn't be the first time. Not standing for the anthem has prompted celebrity beefs, foreigners kicked and others charged for sedition (although the latter usually tends to happen when they are actively showing disrespect by hooting).
Never one to let one mob hog all the attention, Twitter decided to jump into the fray as well.
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