Our commitment to national anthem complete: Prasad

Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad today said a host of issues, including those involving the differently-abled and elderly people, had cropped up following the Supreme Court order asking cinema halls to play the national anthem before screening a film, while asserting that the Centre's commitment to "Jana Gana Mana" was complete.
The apex court today modified its earlier order and made it optional for the cinema halls to play the national anthem.
Prasad told reporters that a government committee would go into the "details of the whole ambit of the matter" and submit its recommendations to the Supreme Court.
"We have issues of the divyang (differently-abled) and elderly who cannot stand up. They were facing problems. A variety of other issues have also come up," he said, while asserting that the government's commitment to the national anthem was complete.

Prasad targeted the Congress over some of its leaders' reported digs at the government over the issue.
Many Congress leaders had taken a divergent stand when the order asking the cinema halls to compulsorily play the national anthem was passed by the apex court, Prasad said.
"What is important is that our commitment to the national anthem is complete. Do all the Congress leaders speak in the same language as far as Vande Mataram is concerned?" he asked.