The Allahabad High Court on Wednesday (February 14) dismissed a PIL seeking directions to be given to Meerut Mayor Sunita Verma to show respect when the national song Vande Mataram is played or sung in the municipal house.

The bench said that no public representative can direct the house or direct the people to take steps to raise awareness about the basic duties.

While giving this direction the court also asked Mayor Verma to respect Vande Matram in the House. The petition has rejected the petition filed by the city’s demand to instruct the people of the city to raise awareness about the basic duties towards the national anthem.

The order was passed on the petition by the bench of Chief Justice D B Bhosale and Justice Suneet Kumar. Thepetition had been filed by  Ramakant Sharma, a resident of Meerut.

Advocate Jitendra Sarin had argued on the petition, saying that the mayor and some councilors had insulted the national anthem at the time of the Vande Mataram song in the proceedings of the Meerut Sadan, when they kept on sitting.

Citizens of India have the obligation to treat the national song Vande Mataram like the national Anthem.

—India Legal Bureau