The Mumbai Sessions Court on Friday, February 25, stayed the summons issued by the Magistrate court to West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on the alleged complaints of her insulting the National anthem.
Previously, she was asked by the Magistrate court to appear for a hearing before the bench on March 2. CM Banerjee was earlier summoned by the Mumbai Magistrate Court on February 02. She was summoned for an alleged offence punishable under the Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act.
This was after a case was filed by Mumbai BJP unit functionary Vivekanand Gupta in December 2021, accusing the TMC supremo of disrespecting the National Anthem during her visit to the city. The BJP worker had demanded an FIR against the CM alleging that she had violated the Union Home Ministry’s order of 2015, which states that whenever the National Anthem is played or sung, the audience shall stand to attention.
Mamata Banerjee summoned by Magistrate Court on BJP’s complaint
Taking cognizance of the complaint, the magistrates’ court at Mazgaon said that Banerjee had committed an offence punishable under Section 3 of the Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act, 1971. The bench noted that prima facie evidence from the complaint, verification statement of the complainant, video clip in the DVD, and video clips on YouTube links had shown that she sang the National Anthem and stopped abruptly and left the dais.
“Though the accused is the Chief Minister of West Bengal, she was not discharging her official duties (during the event in Mumbai). Thereby, this act of the accused, though she is the chief minister of West Bengal, does not come under her official duty. Therefore, the sanction is not required and there is no bar to proceed against the accused,” the court said.
The controversy dates back to CM Mamata Banerjee’s visit to Mumbai last year when she had interacted with the ruling Shiv Sena and NCP in a bid to consolidate a strong Opposition to take on the BJP. As per the BJP’s allegations, while singing the National Anthem during a press conference in Mumbai in December, Banerjee did not wait to finish the National Anthem and sat down midway.
Mumbai Sessions Court stays summons issued against West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee by the Magistrate Court.
Banerjee was summoned on March 2 in a case filed against her for an offence punishable under Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act. Next date of hearing is March 25
— ANI (@ANI) February 25, 2022