Congressman Shashi Tarur questioned the practical feasibility of an amendment to the Vandemataram anthem on Tuesday. He noted that the requirement to sing the National Anthem in its entirety at official events could lead to the audience standing for several minutes before and after the events.
The full version of the National Anthem lasts 3 minutes and 10 seconds. Furthermore, the state of Tamil Nadu recently passed a resolution stating that a State Song in Tamil will play for another two minutes before both anthems. Tarur questioned whether it is truly reasonable to expect the public to stand motionless and respectfully for six minutes before and after each event, totaling 12 additional minutes.
He expressed concern that the goal of the bill—to increase respect for the National Anthem—might not be achieved, but rather the opposite could occur.
