Committee to Recommend Not Playing National Anthem Before Movies

The committee’s job is to come up with requirements for playing the national anthem in cinema halls & public places.

A 12-member inter-ministerial committee, that was set up on 5 December 2017 to “frame guidelines describing circumstances and occasions on which the national anthem is to be played or sung”, is expected to put forth its decision that cinema halls should not play the national anthem before a film’s screening, reported The Indian Express, quoting sources.

The reason behind this probable recommendation is that it will interrupt the screening of the film and lead to disorder and chaos in the cinema hall instead of keeping true to the “dignity of the anthem”, reported the daily.

When it was set up, the committee was given a period of six months to come up with mandates on playing the national anthem in cinema halls and public places.

According to the report, the committee, which is headed by Brij Raj Sharma, Special Secretary, Ministry of Home Affairs, is expected to suggest that the national anthem be played before and after the President’s Address to the country in All India Radio, and when the Governor/Lieutenant Governor arrive at formal State functions.

It is also likely to suggest that the national anthem be played when the national flag is brought out on parade, during morning assemblies in schools and when the regimental colours are presented. 

The 20-second version of the anthem, says the committee, should be played before a toast is raised in the officer’s mess. Additionally, a band playing the anthem has to kickstart it with a drum-roll, the report mentions.

We have written to the state governments and will apprise the Supreme Court on the next date of hearing if there is any delay or difference of opinion.

An official in the committee to The Indian Express

Other than Sharma, the other members of the 12-people panel making up the committee are mostly joint secretary-level officers who were chosen by the ministries of defence, external affairs, women and child development and HRD among others.

This committee had been set up after a Supreme Court bench, comprising Justices AM Khanwilkar and DY Chandrachud, had said that it can’t be assumed that a person who does not stand up for the national anthem is “less patriotic”.

The committee is reportedly waiting to hear back from the state government.