PIL against A R Rahman for disrespecting Anthem dismissed

Chennai, Aug 24 (UNI) Madras High Court today dismissed a public interest litigation filed against acclaimed music director A R Rahman and Bharti Enterprises Chairman Sunil Mittal for allegedly showing disrespect to the National Anthem in a recent composition.

A Division Bench, comprising Chief Justice A P Shah and Mr Justice P Jothimani, dismissed the PIL, filed by Jabamani Janata Party General Secretary J Mohan Raj, seeking to declare as illegal the sale or telecast of the ''truncated and distorted'' audio and video versions of the National Anthem, composed by Rahman to commemorate the 60th Independence day.

The programme was sponsored by Airtel, owned by Mr Mittal, and it was telecast on several television channels.

Holding that there was no merit in the petition, the Bench said ''in our considered view, there is nothing to show that Mr Rahman and Mr Mittal have shown disrespect or violated rules.'' The petitioner contended that Mr Rahman and Mr Mittal had ''dishonoured and commercialised'' the National Anthem by violating the time element, when the National Anthem code specified that it should be sung in 52 seconds.

UNI