NC MLA Hilal Akbar Lone explains why he was sitting when national anthem played
Jammu and Kashmir administration on Thursday ordered an inquiry into Lone and a few others who remained seated while the national anthem was being played during the oath taking ceremony
Hilal Akbar Lone, the National Conference MLA in Jammu and Kashmir, who did not stand up for the National Anthem during the oath-taking ceremony on October 16, claimed he was forced to remain seated since he had a “medical condition”.
However, the Jammu and Kashmir administration on Thursday ordered an inquiry into the incident and will monitor the CCTV footage of the oath-taking ceremony to verify the facts.
Many others also remained seated during the national anthem and the new MLA Lone was one of them, said the reports.
According to news reports quoting the NC leader, he had remained seated while the national anthem was playing because of his medical condition.
“When I went inside, I spoke to media, following this the national anthem was played, and I stood up for some seconds, then was forced to sit because of my backache,” Lone told Greater Kashmir. Omar Abdullah was sworn in as the chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir on Wednesday, along with five ministers at Sher-i-Kashmir International Convention Centre on the banks of Dal Lake.
During the oath taking ceremony a number of attendees failed to stand up for the national anthem.
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According to the MLA, not standing up when the national anthem is being played is not a crime. In his view, a crime is committed if one disrupts or tries to disrupt the playing of the national anthem.
Lone said that Supreme Court has a reservation too on standing during the national anthem not being a crime, said Lone.
Further, he pointed out that he is a member of the legislative assembly and that he had taken oath on the Indian constitution. And asked the media why they doubted him. “Stop doubting me again and again,” he stressed.
