Editing Jana Gana Mana (section)

===Singing===

In [[Kerala]], students belonging to the [[Jehovah's Witnesses]] religious denomination were expelled by school authorities for their refusal to sing the national anthem on religious grounds, although they stood up when the anthem was sung.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Bijoe Emmanuel & Ors vs State Of Kerala & Ors on 11 August, 1986 |website= Indian Kanoon |url=https://indiankanoon.org/docfragment/1508089/?formInput=national%20anthem%20case |access-date=4 September 2017 |archive-date= 15 August 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180815024350/https://indiankanoon.org/docfragment/1508089/?formInput=national%20anthem%20case |url-status=live }}</ref> The [[Kerala High Court]] concluded that there was nothing in it which could offend anyone's religious susceptibilities, and upheld their expulsion. On 11 August 1986,<ref>{{cite news |title=India Supreme Court's Landmark Judgment—Pillar of Free Speech |url=https://www.jw.org/en/news/legal/by-region/india/supreme-court-national-anthem-free-speech/ |access-date=22 September 2021 | publisher =JW |archive-date=5 March 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210305150912/https://www.jw.org/en/news/legal/by-region/india/supreme-court-national-anthem-free-speech/ |url-status=live }}</ref> the [[Supreme Court of India|Supreme Court]] reversed the High Court and ruled that the High Court had misdirected itself because the question is not whether a particular religious belief or practice appeals to our reason or sentiment but whether the belief is genuinely and conscientiously held as part of the profession or practice of religion. "Our personal views and reactions are irrelevant." The Supreme Court affirmed the principle that it is not for a secular judge to sit in judgment on the correctness of a religious belief.<ref name="jehovah_national_anthem">{{cite news|title=To sing or not to sing Vande Mataram|url=http://www.indianexpress.com/news/to-sing-or-not-to-sing-vande-mataram--------/11912/ |newspaper= Indian Express|access-date=16 December 2013|archive-date=6 October 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211006100150/https://indianexpress.com/article/news-archive/to-sing-or-not-to-sing-vande-mataram/|url-status=live}}</ref>

The Supreme Court observed in its ruling that:<ref>{{cite web|title=Bijoe Emmanuel & Ors V. State of Kerala & Ors [1986] INSC 167|publisher= Indian kanoon |date= 11 August 1986|url=http://www.indiankanoon.org/doc/1508089/|access-date=16 December 2013|archive-date=16 December 2013|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20131216182501/http://www.indiankanoon.org/doc/1508089/|url-status=live}}</ref>
{{blockquote| There is no provision of law which obliges anyone to sing the National Anthem nor is it disrespectful to the National Anthem if a person who stands up respectfully when the National Anthem is sung does not join the singing. Proper respect is shown to the National Anthem by standing up when the National Anthem is sung. It will not be right to say that disrespect is shown by not joining in the singing. Standing up respectfully when the National Anthem is sung but not singing oneself clearly does not either prevent the singing of the National Anthem or cause disturbance to an assembly engaged in such singing so as to constitute the offence mentioned in s. 3 of the [[Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act]].}}

In some states, the anthem must be played before films are played at cinemas. On 30 November 2016, to instil "committed patriotism and nationalism", the Supreme Court ordered that all cinemas nationwide must play the national anthem, accompanied by an image of the flag of India, before all films. Patrons were expected to stand in respect of the anthem, and doors to a cinema hall were expected to be locked during the anthem to minimise disruption.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-news-india/national-anthem-national-flag-supreme-court-theater-4402827/ |title= National Anthem must be played before movies in theaters, rules Supreme Court|date=1 December 2016|website=The Indian Express|language=en-IN|access-date=19 February 2019|archive-date=2 March 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190302023337/https://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-news-india/national-anthem-national-flag-supreme-court-theater-4402827/|url-status=live}}</ref> The order was controversial, as it was argued that patrons who chose not to participate would be targeted and singled out, as was the case in an incident publicised in 2015 which purported to show a group of patrons (alleged by the [[YouTube]] uploader to be Muslims) being heckled by others. On 10 February 2017, two Kashmiris (which included an employee of the state government) were arrested under the [[Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act, 1971|Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act]] for not standing during the anthem at a cinema, in the first such arrest of its kind made by a state government. On 3 July 2023, an executive magistrate in Srinagar sent 11 men to jail for a week, allegedly not rising for the anthem at a 25 June event in the presence of J&K Lt Governor [[Manoj Sinha]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=7 July 2023 |title=In J&K, 11 sent to jail after they did not rise for anthem at police event |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/india/in-jk-11-sent-to-jail-after-they-did-not-rise-for-anthem-at-police-event-8800577/ |access-date=9 July 2023 |website=The Indian Express |language=en |archive-date=15 June 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240615123314/https://indianexpress.com/article/india/in-jk-11-sent-to-jail-after-they-did-not-rise-for-anthem-at-police-event-8800577/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Other incidents of violent outbreaks associated with the policy were also reported.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://indianexpress.com/article/india/jk-in-a-first-state-govt-employee-among-two-arrested-for-not-standing-during-national-anthem/|title=J&K: In a first, state govt employee amongst two arrested for not standing during national anthem|date=11 February 2017|website=The Indian Express|language=en-IN|access-date=19 February 2019|archive-date=20 February 2019|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20190220122631/https://indianexpress.com/article/india/jk-in-a-first-state-govt-employee-among-two-arrested-for-not-standing-during-national-anthem/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-42618830|title=India anthem not mandatory in cinemas |work=BBC News|date=9 January 2018|access-date=19 February 2019|language=en-GB|archive-date=4 June 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180604013652/http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-42618830|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-34961285|title=Patriotism debate over national anthem|date=30 November 2015|work=BBC News|access-date=19 February 2019|language=en-GB|archive-date=20 February 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190220144139/https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-34961285|url-status=live}}</ref>

A cinema club in Kerala (whose film festival was required to comply with the order, leading to several arrests) challenged the order as an infringement of their fundamental rights, arguing that cinemas were "singularly unsuited for the gravitas and sobriety that must accompany the playing of the national anthem", and that the films screened would often "be at odds with sentiments of national respect".<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-41731378 |title=Film fans challenge India's anthem order|last=Biswas|first=Soutik|website=BBC News|date=25 October 2017|access-date=19 February 2019 |language= en-GB|archive-date=20 February 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190220072954/https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-41731378|url-status= live}}</ref> In October 2017, Justice [[Dhananjaya Y. Chandrachud]] questioned the intent of the order, arguing that citizens "don't have to wear patriotism on our sleeve", and that it should not be assumed that people who do not stand for the anthem were any less patriotic than those who did. In January 2018, the order was lifted, pending further government discussion.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/playing-of-national-anthem-in-cinema-halls-not-mandatory-supreme-court/articleshow/62427100.cms|title=Playing of national anthem in cinema halls not mandatory: Supreme Court |website= The Times of India|date=9 January 2018 |access-date=19 February 2019|archive-date=20 February 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190220065941/https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/playing-of-national-anthem-in-cinema-halls-not-mandatory-supreme-court/articleshow/62427100.cms|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-42618830|title=India anthem not mandatory in cinemas|date=9 January 2018|access-date=19 February 2019|language=en-GB|archive-date=4 June 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180604013652/http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-42618830 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=India anthem not mandatory in cinemas|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-42618830|access-date= 10 January 2018|work=BBC News|date=2018|archive-date=10 January 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180110002645/http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-42618830|url-status=live}}</ref>

In October 2019, a video of a Bengaluru couple being bullied for not standing up during the national anthem in a movie hall went viral. They were questioned "Are you Pakistani?". There was a debate on the issue; some lawyers recalled Article 21, some people called it a way to gain media attention and some recommended attending the movie after the national anthem is played to avoid any problems. But after the debate, the Supreme Court reversed its earlier order making it mandatory for cinema halls to play the National Anthem.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2018-01-09 |title=India national anthem no longer compulsory in cinemas |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-42618830 |access-date=2024-12-25 |language=en-GB}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.nationalheraldindia.com/india/row-over-youth-castigated-for-not-standing-up-during-national-anthem-in-cinema-hall |title=Row over youth castigated for not standing up during national anthem in cinema hall |date=28 October 2019 |work=National Herald |access-date=5 February 2020|archive-date=13 December 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191213083244/https://www.nationalheraldindia.com/india/row-over-youth-castigated-for-not-standing-up-during-national-anthem-in-cinema-hall|url-status=live}}</ref>