Here’s Kamal Haasan, Gautami and others’ take on the national anthem

While Kamal Haasan said not to test his patriotism, Gautami tweeted that she stood with Anthem.

Veteran film star Kamal Haasan has said patriotism should not be tested at random places and suggested playing of national anthem on Doordarshan at midnight everyday. His comments in a tweet came a day after the Supreme Court, on October 23, said people do not need to stand up in cinema halls to prove their patriotism and asked the Centre to consider amending the rules for regulating playing of the national anthem in the theatres.

“Singapore plays it’s national anthem every midnight. Likewise do so on DD (public broadcaster Doordarshan). Do not force or test my patriotism at various random places,” he has said in the tweet. He also added, “the reason Singapore crops up in arguments is because it is a benovelent dictatorship according to some critics. Do we we want that. No pls,” the actor added.

Gautami, on the other hand, tweeted, “#StandWithAnthem is our Privilege Duty. To honor our Nation stand as our Soldiers do. Who fight to keep us safe. Day Night.”

Composer Vishal Dadlani in a long series of tweets about #StandWithAnthem concluded by writing, “Those who deny your right to choose, are negating the ideals of the Anthem itself! Freedom. Equality. Democracy. #IStandOutOfChoiceNotForce”

Madhur Bhandarkar wrote that people who spend time in long queues to buy “overpriced popcorn samosas shouldn’t have issues standing 52seconds.”

The Supreme Court had also observed that it cannot be assumed that if a person does not stand up for national anthem, then he is “less patriotic”.

(With inputs from PTI)