Madras high court: National Anthem not mandatory at state functions
TNN | Updated: Feb 13, 2019, 05:57 IST
Madras high court (File photo)CHENNAI: Holding that playing the National Anthem at all state functions is not mandatory, the Madras high court dismissed a PIL seeking action against the chief secretary and health secretary of Tamil Nadu for failing to make arrangements to play the anthem at two recent state events that prime minister Narendra Modi had participated in.
When the PIL, filed by a petitioner named Vembu, came up for hearing on Tuesday, a division bench of Justice S Manikumar and Justice Subramonium Prasad dismissed it.
Vembu wanted the court to direct the authorities concerned to frame Rules providing for punishment for wilful violation of a circular issued by the Union ministry of information and broadcasting, which mandated the playing of the National Anthem. According to the petitioner, the Union ministry of home affairs had issued an appropriate circular to all state and Union government departments about playing the National Anthem at all the state functions in which the President, Prime Pinister, governor, lieutenant-governor and chief minister take part.
On January 27, the Tamil Nadu government organised a function in Madurai for laying the foundation stone for the construction of All India Institute for Medical Science (AIIMS) there. Prime Minister Narendra Modi was the chief guest at the function, in which the governor, chief minister and deputy chief minister too had participated. In blatant violation of rules and tradition, neither the Tamil Thai Vaazhthu nor the National Anthem was played in the beginning and end of the function, the petitioner alleged.
Similarly, on February 10, the prime minister participated in another state-organised function in which he flagged off the Chennai Metro Rail and other services through video conferencing from Tirupur. In this event too, the National Anthem was not played, Vembu said.
Pointing out that neither the prime minister’s office nor the state authorities had apologised for the violation so far, the petitioner wanted the court to initiate appropriate action against the authorities.
When the PIL, filed by a petitioner named Vembu, came up for hearing on Tuesday, a division bench of Justice S Manikumar and Justice Subramonium Prasad dismissed it.
Vembu wanted the court to direct the authorities concerned to frame Rules providing for punishment for wilful violation of a circular issued by the Union ministry of information and broadcasting, which mandated the playing of the National Anthem. According to the petitioner, the Union ministry of home affairs had issued an appropriate circular to all state and Union government departments about playing the National Anthem at all the state functions in which the President, Prime Pinister, governor, lieutenant-governor and chief minister take part.
On January 27, the Tamil Nadu government organised a function in Madurai for laying the foundation stone for the construction of All India Institute for Medical Science (AIIMS) there. Prime Minister Narendra Modi was the chief guest at the function, in which the governor, chief minister and deputy chief minister too had participated. In blatant violation of rules and tradition, neither the Tamil Thai Vaazhthu nor the National Anthem was played in the beginning and end of the function, the petitioner alleged.
Similarly, on February 10, the prime minister participated in another state-organised function in which he flagged off the Chennai Metro Rail and other services through video conferencing from Tirupur. In this event too, the National Anthem was not played, Vembu said.
Pointing out that neither the prime minister’s office nor the state authorities had apologised for the violation so far, the petitioner wanted the court to initiate appropriate action against the authorities.
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