How can the Supreme Court assume the powers of the legislature? (“SC makes national anthem mandatory in cinema halls”, Dec.1) If the court felt that it must infuse patriotism, it should have asked parliamentarians to consider enacting a suitable law. It would be healthy if all the pillars of democracy confined themselves to their respective domains rather than tread on each other’s toes.
Moreover, I fail to understand how patriotism can be instilled by closing the doors of a cinema hall and forcing an audience to stand up. (The photo that accompanies the article in the newspaper shows some boys standing casually; they’re not even standing at attention.) The practice of playing the national anthem at the end of film screenings was discontinued long back. The court should have examined the reasons for that decision.
I am reminded of a short story in a Tamil weekly in the 1960s, when the patriotic spirit was high, fuelled by successive wars. The story is about a climax scene in a film. Indian soldiers, who have been captured by the enemy, are shot one after another in the film. Some suspense awaits the audience about the last soldier. Young people watching the movie are restless as the clock ticks away. It turns out that their impatience is not because of the climax scene but because of their compulsion to sit through the national anthem after the suspense is lifted and the film is over! So apparently people rush out of halls before the conclusion of a film just to escape sitting through the national anthem. The moral of the story stands true today too: patriotism cannot be forced.
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The court’s verdict is based on the logic that patriotism is a virtue that needs to be forcibly imposed, and that a symbolic display of aggressive nationalism is the true test of appropriate civic morality. Though the ruling in question is limited to cinema halls, the rationale can be applied to other public places such as railway stations, bus depots, government offices, and banks where citizens assemble for specific purposes and that therefore can be considered as appropriate platforms for the collective display of nationalism. One is left to wonder how such a ruling would be enforced in practice. It comes with the danger of encouraging private vigilantism in public places due to inherent limitations of state enforcement machinery.
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Our anthem is the best in the world for its lyrical content and music. It can be sung at any place, unlike a bhajan (“Reeling out patriotism”, Nov.1). It causes, if at all, inconvenience for only about three minutes. The court’s judgment does not infringe on any constitutional right. The verdict is consistent with Article 51A of the Constitution. It is also timely given the terrorist attacks from across the border.
Y.G. Chouksey,Pune
The national anthem should be played in Parliament too, before the day’s business begins. Seeing the never-ending ugly fights among our so-called people’s representatives, it would make sense to make them stand for the national anthem and respect the nation.
V.S. Ganeshan, Bengaluru
The anthem is played before cricket matches and spectators don’t necessarily stand up when it is played. That does not mean that they do not love their country. Moreover, people go to watch movies for entertainment. Now, if people don’t stand, someone will create a scene, take law into their hands, and there will be some controversy. The court should rethink its decision. There are far more critical cases awaiting judgment.
Bal Govind,Noida
This is a welcome verdict. Many Americans fly their national flag with pride atop their homes. We can also go one step further by hoisting our flag not only at our homes but at our places of work too. This will go a long way in instilling patriotism and a sense of belonging to the nation. I beg to differ with the argument that the court’s ruling amounts to a kind of tokenist measure. Filmi content has nothing to with patriotism.
C.G. Kuriakose, Kerala
If singing the national anthem in school did not instil the type of patriotism that the judgment laments is lost on an entire generation, how would standing at theatres succeed in doing the same? The nation’s culture, politics and justice system have all failed to inspire patriotism.
Sham Sankar,Thiruvananthapuram