NCP prez piggybacks on national anthem

Wants it played in cinema halls across India, not just state

Wants it played in cinema halls across India, not just state

Narendra Verma, the president of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) in the city, is stepping out from the confines of Maharasthra in an attempt to occupy a position in national politics.
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And the way ahead is by riding piggy bank on the national anthem.

Verma wants the Centre to force cinema halls across the country to play the national anthem before a movie is screened.
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PATRIOT: Narendra Verma

The practice of playing the anthem before a movie starts is presently rigorously followed only in Maharashtra.

Verma, who was appointed the president of the Mumbai unit of the NCP on Monday, has been instrumental in pressuring the state government to bring out an ordinance in 2003, directing cinema halls in the state to play the national anthem.

Verma said he would now approach PM Manmohan Singh and President Pratibha Patil to demand the implementation of the same rule across the country.

Existed earlier

The practice of playing the national anthem at a cinema hall existed much earlier, but none of the theatres followed it.

Verma brought this to the notice of the state government and Chhagan Bhujbal, who was the deputy CM even then, initiated an ordinance and issued directives for the implementation of the rule in cinema halls of the state.
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Following this, the rule of was implemented from January 26, 2003.

Said Verma, "Playing the national anthem drums up a sense of patriotism in the minds of citizens.

The way Mumbaikars responded to the initiative has filled us with hope and we want the same rule to be implemented across the country."

Did you Know?

The first of five stanzas of a Brahmo hymn composed and scored by Rabindranath Tagore is the Indian national anthem. u00a0 It was first sung at the Calcutta Session of the Indian National Congress on December 27, 1911. u00a0 Jana Gana Mana was officially adopted by the Constituent Assembly as the Indian national anthem on January 24, 1950