TMC chief Mamata Banerjee summoned by Mumbai court for allegedly disrespecting national anthem

Last month, BJP Mumbai secretary lawyer Vivekanand Gupta filed a suit in court alleging that Banerjee "disrespected" the national anthem during a public ceremony at Mumbai's Yashwantrao Chavan Pratishthan Auditorium. 

A Mumbai metropolitan magistrate's court summoned West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday in response to a complaint filed by a BJP member for allegedly "disrespecting" the national anthem during a public gathering in Mumbai last month. Last month, BJP Mumbai secretary lawyer Vivekanand Gupta filed a suit in court alleging that Banerjee "disrespected" the national anthem during a public ceremony at Mumbai's Yashwantrao Chavan Pratishthan Auditorium. TMC chief Mamata Banerjee has until March 2 to answer the summons.

According to the complaint, Banerjee began singing the national song while remaining sitting towards the end of the event. It went on to say that Banerjee later stepped up, sang two verses, then abruptly stopped and departed the event. The complaint requested that Banerjee be prosecuted under the Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act. The magistrate's court ruled that because it was neither a government function or an official event, no authorisation was necessary to proceed against Banerjee in the case.

After reviewing all of the videos of the event and available evidence, the 25th court Mazgaon in Sewree, which was hearing the complaint, stated in its order, "It is prima-facie evident from the complaint, video clip in the DVD and video clips on YouTube links, that the accused had sung National Anthem and stopped abruptly and left the dias which prima-facie prove that the accused has committed punishable under section 3 of the Prevention of Insults to National Honor Act."  The court further held that no official approval was necessary because Banerjee was not doing her official responsibilities as Chief Minister at the time of the public gathering.