ALLAHABAD: The Allahabad high court on Tuesday dismissed a PIL seeking directions to the mayor of Meerut to give due respect to singing or playing of 'Vande Mataram' in the municipal corporation house and sensitise residents of Meerut about their fundamental duties to respect the national song.Dismissing a PIL filed by Ramakant Sharma , a resident of Meerut, a division bench comprising chief justice Dilip Babasaheb Bhosale and Justice Suneet Kumar declined to interfere in the matter.In the PIL, it was alleged that many corporators as well as the mayor of Meerut were opposed to singing Vande Mataram in the municipal corporation House. In support of his argument, the petitioner relied on newspaper reports and photos where the mayor was seen sitting at the time of playing of the national song.Counsel Jitendra Sarin argued that in the municipal House, some corporators were not willing to sing Vande Mataram while others were advocating that all including the mayor should sing it. Hence, to avoid any unpleasant situation, it was necessary that all should be sensitised about the role of the national song in the freedom struggle, the petition said, adding "message must be given to all that the song had nothing to do with a religious belief, though at the same time, it should be made clear that no one can be forced to sing it."However, the court said that it can neither direct elected members or corporators to behave in a certain manner, nor can it pass a general direction to sensitise residents about their fundamental duties as per the Constitution, and dismissed the petition as withdrawn.

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