Fight against National anthem rule engulfs Bengaluru Film Festival
- The organisers asked the Kerala delegate to follow the law as the Supreme Court had already given a verdict on the same.
- Sources have also said that a journalist and a writer also refused to stand while National Anthem was being played ahead of a show on Saturday as well.
FollowA delegate from Kerala at the Bengaluru International Film Festival was thrown out of the theatre because he refused to stand as the National Anthem was being played ahead of a movie. The conversation between the delegate and the organisers got heated up and eventually he was evacuated from the theatre.
According to the other delegates present in the theatre, the Kerala delegate apparently stood up every single time before every movie since morning on Sunday.
“I have stood up four times for the anthem so far and cannot stand again one more time. How many times in a day does an Indian have to prove his patriotism? Is patriotism a thing of exhibition?” the Kerala delegate was quoted as saying by The Hindu.
The organisers asked him to follow the law as the Supreme Court had already given a verdict on the same. At the end, the organisers failed to convince him and eventually asked him to leave the theatre.
Sources have also said that a journalist and a writer also refused to stand while National Anthem was being played ahead of a show on Saturday as well.
This is not the first time this has happened. A similar incident happened in Kerala as well last year and that led to a bigger commotion at the theatre. However, Supreme Court did mention in its verdict that a person will HAVE to stand while the National Anthem will be played at the theatres ahead of every show.
So if one goes by the verdict, the organisers are not supposed to know if a person has stood up for the National Anthem in n number of shows prior to this. Therefore, if they were trying to follow the law, they actually have all the right to ask a person to stand up for the National Anthem, as it is difficult for the organisers to point out one person and memorise his/her face during such festivals.
