(Opinion) One of the key features of patriotism means having belief in the Constitution, i.e., not taking law in hands. This is about the recent case where a family was asked to get out of the PVR cinema theater, Mumbai (Kurla), because they were sitting while national anthem was being played. In this particular case, the Constitution allows keep sitting while national anthem is being played in a cinema hall. This is what our Supreme Court, the interpreter of the statute book, says. As per the Supreme Court order, in the case of Karan Johar versus Union of India, audiences in cinema halls need not stand up when the national anthem was sung or used as part of a movie. We’re bound to follow this observation, this is what the Constitution says. Also, asking the family to leave was the violation of the law. representative picture

In this background, supporting this act can be anything but patriotic, because the act itself was unpatriotic. More so, even the Government of India says there’s no need to stand when National Anthem is played as a “newsreel or part of a film or documentary”.

Its a growing trend where people are asked to ‘prove’ their patriotism nowadays. But ironically those who roam around giving certificates of patriotism, based on ‘ill informed’ beliefs, can be called anything but patriots. It’s more of a case of jingoism. (By Nihil)