New Delhi: The Supreme Court has agreed to hear new petitions challenging the rules that require people to sing all six stanzas of Vande Mataram, India’s National Song.
On Tuesday, October 27, the court asked the Central Government to respond to the petitions. The case will be heard again on November 30.
Why Is the Rule Being Challenged?
The petitions were filed by Bhimrao Duryodhan Borkar and former IAS officer Balakrishnan Sathyabhama Mavoji.
They have questioned the government’s decision to make all six stanzas part of the official version. They argue that people should not be forced to sing words that go against their personal beliefs.
What Did the Supreme Court Say Earlier?
In September, the Supreme Court said that people who respectfully refuse to sing a song because of their beliefs should not be punished.
The court also referred to a 1986 case in which it protected schoolchildren who did not sing the National Anthem because of their beliefs.
The issue had earlier come before the court through a petition by Carnatic singer T M Krishna, who also challenged the rule.
What Happens Next?
The Supreme Court has asked the government to respond before the next hearing. The case will look at whether the rules on singing all six stanzas can stand and how they fit with people’s freedom of belief.
No final decision has been announced yet.
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