High Court Questions Councillors Over Vande Mataram Incident

The Madhya Pradesh High Court has called for responses from two Congress women councillors who declined to sing the national song, 'Vande Mataram', during a meeting of the Indore Municipal Corporation.

The directive was issued by the Indore bench of the High Court during a hearing on a public interest litigation (PIL) that advocates for a legal framework to ensure respectful behavior during the rendition of the national song at government-related events and public platforms.

The court's division bench, comprising Justices Vijay Kumar Shukla and Alok Awasthi, issued show-cause notices to the councillors as well as the state government. Allegations state that the actions of the councillors, Faujia Sheikh Aleem and Rubina Iqbal Khan, violated constitutional duties and could fall under the Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act, 1971. Consequently, police registered a case under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita section 196. The court has scheduled the next hearing for May 11.