Court reserves order in West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee national anthem case

MUMBAI: A special court on Tuesday reserved its order in an appeal filed by West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee against a lower court order issuing summons to her on a complaint filed by Mumbai secretary of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) alleging that she disrespected the National Anthem.
Banerjee's lawyer argued that sanction for her prosecution was not obtained in the case.The prosecution, however, submitted that Banerjee was not visiting Mumbai in her official capacity and the visit had a political agenda.
The complaint filed by Vivekanand Gupta said the CM was on a two-day visit to Maharashtra on December 1, 2021. She was present at a public function at Y B Chavan auditorium in south Mumbai as the main speaker. "The act of the accused of singing the first two verses of national anthem in sitting position and then next two verses in standing and then she abruptly stopped singing the national anthem after the first four verses. This act of the accused is thus an insult and disrespect to the national anthem..." the complaint said.
Gupta alleged that she committed an offence punishable under section 3 of the Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act of 1971.