A wheelchair-bound man was abused at a multiplex in Guwahati, for not standing up when the National Anthem was played, reported Times Of India.
A wheelchair-bound man was abused at a multiplex in Guwahati, for not standing up when the National Anthem was played, reported Times Of India.
Arman Ali (36) was sitting in the front row of a cinema in Guwahati when he had to face the outrage of the bystanders for being able to stand up during the national anthem.
The Supreme Court of India in December last year, had made it compulsory for all the cinema halls in India to play the national anthem before the feature film starts and had ordered all those present in the hall to stand up to show respect to the national anthem.
“I sat upright as a mark of respect when the Anthem was played, but still people behind me started abusing me for not being able to stand up as according to them I did it intentionally to show disrespect towards the national anthem of India,” TOI reported quoting Ali.
“I was singing along while sitting. I heard someone commenting and calling me a Pakistani. Two men behind me were also making abusive remarks against me,” Ali added.
"Saamne ek Pakistani baitha hai (A Pakistani is sitting in front)," one of them reportedly said, reportsTOI.
However, according to an ANI report, Ali has stated that he will approach the Supreme Court and will submit a report against the ordeal he had faced.
“I don't think SC would have thought of a situation like this. I will write to the Chief Justice about this incident and plight of the people like me,” Arman Ali told ANI.
After the 1962 war, the National anthem, Jana Gana Mana, was mandatory in the cinema halls across India , but the practice had faded out eventually.