Jammu and Kashmir Police have detained 17 spectators after the Police Martyrs’ Football Tournament closing ceremony in Srinagar as they allegedly failed to stand and disrespected the national anthem. A senior police official confirmed that 17 spectators were detained for disrespecting the national anthem. The incident occurred at the final match of the Police Martyrs’ Football Tournament held at the Synthetic Turf Football Ground in TRC, Srinagar.
Allegedly, the 17 spectators were found sitting during the playing of the national anthem by a live band during the ceremony, which was played while Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha attended the tournament’s final ceremony. The individuals were detained under the Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act, 1971, which addresses disrespect to the national anthem and flag. An investigation into the incident is underway.
Mehbooba Mufti, taking a dig at the BJP, said BJP’s policies had created such situations that people were being forced at gunpoint to stand during the national anthem.
PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti said, “I think it’s BJP’s biggest failure. The national anthem is not BJP’s anthem; it’s the country’s anthem. I remember when we were young, in schools or colleges, when the national anthem used to be played, we would automatically get up. Today, they have created such a situation in Jammu and Kashmir that people are being forced at gunpoint to stand. They should revise their policies and see where they went wrong. Ladakh is burning, and here, for the national anthem, if someone is not getting up, you put him in jail. It’s not the way to deal. The national anthem is everybody’s anthem.”
Countering Mehbooba Mufti, the BJP said that those who don’t respect the national anthem or national flag should be punished, and accused her of trying to provoke people as she longs for the old disturbed Kashmir. The party asserted this is the “new Kashmir.”
Altaf Thakur, BJP spokesperson for Jammu and Kashmir, said, “Every Indian should respect the national anthem, and Kashmir has also changed. Now everyone respects the national anthem, but those who disrespect it should be punished. Living in India and not respecting the national anthem means there are still some who have separatist Pakistani thinking, and they should be punished. If we talk about Mehbooba Mufti ji, she herself doesn’t want to sing the national anthem nor carry the national flag. She said there will be nobody to carry the national flag. Mehbooba ji always attacks the police and the army. I think she loves the Pakistani national anthem more, and now she is provoking people. But this is the new changed Kashmir.”
Family members of the detained individuals told the police that the national anthem played by the band was at low volume. After questioning, the individuals detained for allegedly not standing during the national anthem in Srinagar were released on a “zaati muchalka” (personal bond).
A zaati muchalka is a personal bond or undertaking given that in the future no such or any other anti-national or anti-social act will be committed by the person. After signing it, the detainee is released on personal assurance, with the condition that if required, the individual will appear in court for the case.