A Patriotism That Isn’t In Standing Up for the National Anthem

Differently abled Indian champions sing the national anthem to create awareness about their rights as citizens.

“We don’t need to stand to stand up for the nation.”

(Photo Courtesy: Youtube Screengrab/The Stand Up Project)

How should we express our love for our nation? Do we always need to wear our patriotism on our sleeves? Does not standing up for the national anthem make us ‘anti-national’?

These questions are not new. They have been central to the debate surrounding the controversial Supreme Court order making it mandatory for the national anthem to be played in cinema halls, and for all those present to stand up for it.

As the debate continues, this powerful video has a message for the nation.

Differently abled champions of the nation from fields as diverse as sports, theatre, and science sing the national anthem in an attempt to create awareness about their rights as citizens. “We don’t need to stand to stand up for the nation,” is the concluding message.

Also Read: World Disability Day: SC’s Anthem Order Restricts My Freedom

The video is part of the #DecemberForTheDifferentlyAbled campaign by The Stand Up Project.

“We are a group of passionate Indians coming together to create a moving picture to stand up for the differently abled people of India. It’s a call to everyone out there to stand up for something bigger.”

In April 2017, the SC exempted six categories of disabled people from standing when the national anthem is played before the screening of a film in theatres, after reports of people with disabilities being heckled at cinema halls surfaced.

This decision came as a huge relief but the nation still has a long way to go when it comes to shaping dialogue around the rights of the differently abled.

Also Read: These Kickass People Are Shaping New Dialogues on Disability

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