J&K police detain 15 people for not standing to national anthem

Over a dozen spectators were detained on Tuesday at the Jammu and Kashmir Police Martyrs’ Memorial Football Tournament in Srinagar for allegedly not standing up during the national anthem played by a live band.

The event, attended by J&K Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, was held at the Synthetic Turf Football Ground.

As per standard procedure, the national anthem was played but some people failed to stand up. Fifteen individuals from the bleachers were taken into police custody.

However, parents of the detained individuals alleged the act was unintentional. “The national anthem was played by a band, and from where they were sitting, the sound was very low and unclear. They simply did not hear the anthem begin and were therefore unable to stand in time. It was a genuine mistake, not intentional disrespect,” said one of the parents.

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Authorities stated it is mandatory under protocol to stand during the national anthem as a way to show respect, and deliberate disrespect is punishable under the Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act, 1971.

Criticising the Union government, the Jammu and Kashmir Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chief and former chief minister Mehbooba Mufti said, “When I was in school, my peers and I would stand up for the National Anthem on our own. This government is making people stand at gunpoint.”

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