NEW DELHI, 31 January — Bihar strongman and Rashtriya Janata Dal chief Laloo Prasad Yadav and his wife, Chief Minister Rabri Devi, are facing a charge of “disrespecting” the national anthem.
A case has been filed against Laloo and his wife in a Patna court for allegedly disrespecting the national anthem during the Republic Day function on Jan. 26.
In the lawsuit, Bihar’s first political couple has been accused of remaining seated while the national anthem was being sung during the Republic Day celebrations in the state capital.
The petitioner, Niraj Kumar, a Samata Party leader, accused the couple of violating provisions of the Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act. He said they had committed “a criminal act” by insulting the national anthem.
Kumar said in the suit that Laloo, and his wife remained seated while the national flag was being unfurled and the national anthem sung.
Kumar alleged that both the chief minister and Laloo, a state legislator, had violated their constitutional obligations. He noted that the Supreme Court had in the past held that citizens would have to stand to pay their respects when the national anthem was played.
The controversy erupted on Saturday after television channels showed Laloo and Rabri seated as the national anthem was played at the end of the Republic Day ceremony in the state capital.
Sushil Kumar Modi, a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) legislator and leader of opposition in the assembly, immediately demanded a public apology from them for “disrespecting” the national anthem.
However, the RJD chief said he was not sitting when the national anthem was played. “I, along with Rabri Devi, was standing like everybody else there. There was no question of sitting when the national anthem was being played,” he said.
“We have a minute-to-minute recording of the event. It will show that I was standing during the national anthem. I sat down only after the end of the anthem.”
According to some officials present at the ceremony, the national anthem was played thrice. The chief minister and Laloo stood up on the first two occasions but remained seated on the third, the officials said.
