DURING REPUBLIC Day celebrations in New Delhi, I observed people when President Pratibha Patil unfurled the National flag and National Anthem was played ahead of parade. People were moving or loafing or arranging things or doing something or talking when the anthem was being sung. The very few people were attentive and standing up silently. Why Indians don’t respect their national anthem? How can they expect respect for nation from foreigners when they do not think of it?  Gone are the days when people situated themselves for National Anthem and felt proud being part of it.

“The issue really matters to me. In India, people do not care about National Day so I think standing up during National Anthem is distant question for them,” said Piyashu Bhardwaj, an engineering trainee. Some people blamed current generations of kids and youths. Some felt that it was composed in honour of Emperor and the Queen of Britain which ruled India in the past.

“I think elders should take the responsibility. We should generate positive attitude in our children of respecting National Anthem. May not all parents would think on same lines,” said Chalsea Gautam, a homemaker from Bangalore. “I am sure students are respecting it as it is sung in morning prayers in their schools. But morning assemblies are rarely held in colleges thus we are lacking in our habit of singing it daily,” said Leena Rajput, an economics graduate student.

Yamini, an advocate by profession asked, “Do we celebrate our national event with full zeal? People are treating it as holiday for relaxing. How do you expect them to respect National Anthem? Simply it is other song for me.”

In my view, India deserves patriotism from its citizens. Nobody should question another citizen about nationalism. There are still people who respect National Anthem but the state of affairs in country is such that one cannot urge or encourage standing to respect the anthem. Government can’t penalise people for it and after all in India, democracy is taken to mean liberty to do as you please.