Has Proving one’s Patriotism become National Responsibility? Protest against Arrest of 12 persons for disrespecting National Anthem

Thiruvananthapuram, Dec 13, 2016: Proving one's patriotism has become an important national responsibility. This responsibility was dragged on to cinema halls recently by Supreme Court's decision on making national anthem compulsory in movie theatres. This has led to series of arrests recently as few people chose not to abide by the rules.

Questioning the credibility of this new rule, a group of people on Tuesday staged a protest in front of a theatre here, challenging the arrest of 12 people by police, for being 'disrespectful' to the National Anthem at cinemas screening movies of the International Film Festival of Kerala.

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A placard held by a protester at Tagore Theater, the main venue of the ongoing festival, said "The national anthem is not a digital song. National flag is not an audio visual. Cinema is primarily an entertainment. Cinema hall is a place to sell entertainment", reported PTI.

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While other one mentioned "Please don't degrade my national anthem,".

"We love Bharat. Nationalism cannot be imposed," the protesters said.

Twelve persons were arrested in two different cases. They showed disrespect to the national anthem in movie theatres of International film festival on Monday night by refusing to stand up during the national anthem, police said, adding, cases under IPC section 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant) had been registered. Those arrested were later released on bail, they said.

– prepared by Saptaparni Goon of NewsGram. Twitter: @saptaparni_goon