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Imposition Of Nationalism: Three Students From J&K Arrested For Not Standing Up For ‘Jan Gan Man’ Anthem

August 21, 2017 | By

Hyderabad: In yet another fallout of forceful imposition of  nationalism through cinemas and movie theaters, three engineering students hailing from Jammu & Kashmir have been booked for supposed disrespect of Jan Gan Man Anthem by not standing while it being played in the cinema hall, the Hyderabad police reportedly said.

Image used for representational purpose

As reported by the media the incident occurred on Saturday afternoon  when the three Kashmiri students studying at a private college here went to a cinema hall to watch a Hindi movie and allegedly did not stand up when the ‘Jan Gan Man’ Anthem was played before the film’s screening.

“The management of the theater lodged a complaint with police, stating that the three persons did not stand up when the National Anthem was played when all others in the cinema hall were standing,” reads the statement of deputy commissioner of Police (Shamshabad Zone) P V Padmaja published in an English vernacular.

The three students, in their 20s, belong to Jammu and Kashmir, said the police.

Photo for Representation Only.

This is second instance in which Kashmiri students have been reportedly harassed and arrested for not standing up to the tune of the ultra-nationalists version of enforced nationalism, earlier in February two Kashmiri students were arrested on the pretext of Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act of 1971.

Experts are of the believe that this circle of fear psychoses is being perpetuated by the ruling elite of the Indian state so as to forcefully extract the allegiance and loyalty towards the Indian state, secondly it is also seen as an attempt to negate one’s other individual identity based upon region, language, ethnicity, religion etc. At the time when the Supreme Court of India (SCI) dictated the decree that made it mandatory for the movie theaters to play the ‘Jan Gan Man ‘Anthem before commencing with the show, many voices openly opposed and criticized the SCI’s dictation to impose Indian nationalism on others.

In December last year historian M G S Narayanan while terming the dictation of SCI as ‘stupidity’ stated that ““People who come to cinemas for entertainment don’t need to be force-fed nationalism. This move to impose nationalism won’t succeed. In fact, it will fail.”

“We can call the union of India a federation of nationalities, but not a nation. I have never felt it is a nation,” national anthem comes into relevance only when there is a feeling of nationalism. But this feeling cannot be created by force, it should come naturally,” he said.

Meanwhile, during his interaction with Hindustan Times (HT) an investigating official said a senior police officer had informed the management of the theatre, after he noticed the trio not standing up when the Anthem was played, who in turn lodged a complaint with the police.


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