New Delhi, The Supreme Court on Tuesday agreed to examine fresh petitions challenging the law mandating the singing of all six stanzas of Vande Mataram.
The bench was at that time hearing a petition by Carnatic vocalist T M Krishna challenging the law mandating singing of all six stanzas of Vande Mataram, arguing that the last four verses violate the secular character of the nation. The top court tagged the petitions with similar pleas and posted the matter for hearing on November 30. Seeking the Centre’s response on the plea, the bench had said it would expect the principle laid down by the apex court’s 1986 judgment in Bijoe Emmanuel vs State of Kerala to govern the amended law.
A “conscientious objector” should not be punished for refusing to sing Vande Mataram, the top court had told the Centre on September 22 while asking it to keep in mind a 1986 judgment protecting children who said no to singing the national anthem on grounds of conscience.
In that case, the court protected schoolchildren who respectfully declined to sing the national anthem on grounds of conscience.
