The Supreme Court today exempted disabled persons from standing during playing of the national anthem before screening of a film.

Background

The apex court had made it mandatory to play national anthem in movie halls before every screening with the image of the national flag displayed on the screen. Delivering the order, the SC had observed that standing up for the national anthem in movie halls will instill a sense of committed patriotism and nationalism in people’s minds.

Details

• The disabled category includes people suffering from cerebral palsy, Parkinson disease, muscular dystrophy and other categories of disability.
• The verdict had however resulted in cases of disabled people being attacked by fellow moviegoers for not standing up for the national anthem.
• In a number of cases, people with disabilities and those with small children and elderly people also faced the wrath of the people trying to enforce patriotism.
• The SC also issued a notice to the Centre over a plea that sought to make the singing of ‘Vande Mataram’ essential in all educational institutions.
• The court has asked the Central government to respond to the plea within four weeks.

Source : The Hindu

GS II : Structure, organization and functioning of the Executive and the Judiciary Ministries and Departments of the Government; pressure groups and formal/informal associations and their role in the Polity