NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Friday refused to hear a plea which sought to make singing of the national song mandatory in schools.
A bench headed by Justice Dipak Misra referred to Article 51 A (a) of the Constitution and said it deals only with the national anthem and the national flag and not the national song.
“Therefore, we do not intend to enter into any debate as far as the national song is concerned,” the bench said.
The bench, which was hearing a plea by Aswani Upadhyay which sought direction for framing of a policy to promote and propagate the national anthem, the national flag and the national song, tagged the petition with another similar plea on the issue which is pending before it.
However, the court said it will hear the plea which sought direction to ascertain the feasibility of singing or playing the national anthem and the national song in schools only and not in Parliament or a state Assembly, public offices and courts.
The court had last year made it mandatory for the cinema halls to play the anthem to instil committed patriotism and nationalism.
The apex court had said that "love and respect for the motherland is reflected when one shows respect to the national anthem as well as to the national flag".
The court's directions came on a PIL filed by one Shyam Narayan Chouksey seeking directions that the national anthem be played in cinema halls across the country before a film begins and proper norms and protocol be fixed regarding its playing and singing at official functions and programmes where those holding constitutional office are present.