SC Reaffirms Right to Silence in Vande Mataram Case, Cites Bijoe Emmanuel Precedent

The Supreme Court addressed a legal challenge to the requirement that all six stanzas of Vande Mataram be sung at public gatherings. In its hearing, the Court referenced the 1986 Bijoe Emmanuel ruling, which had established the right to remain silent and protected freedom of speech as constitutional rights.

The SC expressed its expectation that the precedent set in the Bijoe Emmanuel case would be followed in adjudicating the current matter. The case highlights the tension between nationalist mandates and individual constitutional freedoms in India.