The Allahabad High Court today rejected a petition challenging an Uttar Pradesh government order making singing of the national anthem compulsory in all schools, including madarsas, in the state.
The court rejected the plea saying that singing of the anthem was the fundamental duty of every citizen.
A bench of Chief Justice DB Bhosale and Justice Yashwant Varma said the petition was based on wrong assumptions.
The petitioner had challenged the 3 August order and 6 September circular of the state government and had appealed to the high court to issue directions to not make the singing of national anthem mandatory in madarsas.
The bench noted that the petitioner had not been able to cite an example or incident that proved the singing of national anthem in madarsas affects the religious sentiments of students.
The court also said that there were no proof in the PIL which suggested that students at madarsas had objections in singing the national anthem.
(At The Quint, we question everything. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member today.)