New Delhi, January 3
The Supreme Court today issued a notice to the Centre on a petition seeking to delete word “Sindh” from the National Anthem on the ground that it refers to a territory of Pakistan even as the government said the expression “Sindh” was an inalienable part of the country’s ancient cultural civilisation.

A Bench of Chief Justice R.C. Lahoti and Mr Justice G.P. Mathur issued notice to the government after contents of the Constituent Assembly debate of January 24, 1950, on the National Anthem was placed on record, which said “Jana Gana Mana was subject to such alterations in the words as the Union Government may authorise as occasion arises.”

The court sought a reply from the government about its stand on the issue in the form of an affidavit despite the Union Home Ministry’s note placed on record.

The issue was brought before the court in a public interest litigation (PIL) by Mr Sanjeev Bhatnagar, who said the word “Sindh” clearly deserves deletion with reference to a state of Pakistan.”

If Pakistan ever raised the matter at any international fora, it could cause an “embrassing” situation to India, Mr Bhatnagar said.

The petitioner said by the recitation of word “Sindh” in the National Anthem by country’s citizens, their fundamental right to know why they were singing in praise of a land belonging to an alien nation was affected.

However, a note of the Union Home Ministry in response to Mr Bhatnagar’s letter to the government said, “The word and expression ‘Sindh’ in the National Anthem refers not merely to the province of Sindh but also to the Sindhi culture, which is an inalienable part of the rich and diverse culture of India.”