A BJP leader in Mumbai has filed a complaint against West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee for allegedly singing the national anthem while being seated and ‘abruptly stopping after four or five verses’. The Trinamool Congress supremo, who was on a visit to the financial capital, met NCP chief Sharad Pawar on Wednesday, after Shiv Sena leaders the day before.
The complainant alleged that Banerjee “showed utter disrespect to national anthem”. “It’s an offence under the Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act, 1971 and @HMOIndia order of 2015,” he tweeted.
Other leaders also hit out at Banerjee. While Maharashtra BJP leader Pratik Karpe called the incident “demeaning”, Bengaluru South MP Tejasvi Surya said that it was a “deplorable behaviour from a Constitutional Authority”.
Here we have a Chief Minister, who fails to respect our National Anthem.Expecting the opposition parties to respect Bharat & it’s values is a lot to ask for these days.
This deplorable behaviour from a Constitutional Authority is extremely shameful & condemnable. pic.twitter.com/pamYZqAZEo
— Tejasvi Surya (@Tejasvi_Surya) December 1, 2021
Sharing the same 16-seconds clip, the West Bengal BJP unit tweeted, “Today, as a Chief Minister, she has insulted the culture of Bengal, the national anthem and the country, and Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore!”
BJP leader Amit Malviya said, “Our national anthem is one of the most powerful manifestations of our national identity. The least people holding public office can do is not demean it. Here is a mutilated version of our national anthem sung by Bengal CM. Is India’s opposition so bereft of pride and patriotism?”
The TMC, however, has not reacted to the controversy yet. Before meeting Pawar, Banerjee had met civil society members in Mumbai, where she mentioned about the “victimization” of prominent Bollywood personalities such as Shah Rukh Khan. Noted lyricist Javed Akhtar, film-maker Mahesh Bhatt, social activist Medha Patkar, actor Richa Chadha and stand-up comedian Munawar Faruqui were among those who participated in the interaction
With inputs from News18
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