SRINAGAR: The Jammu and Kashmir administration has initiated an investigation into National Conference (NC) legislator Hilal Akbar Lone following allegations that he disrespected the national anthem by not standing during its rendition at the swearing-in ceremony of Omar Abdullah as Chief Minister. The event took place on Wednesday at the Sher-e-Kashmir International Convention Centre (SKICC) in Srinagar, where Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha administered the oath of office and secrecy to Omar Abdullah and his council of ministers.
Hilal Akbar Lone, son of NC veteran and former J&K Assembly Speaker Akbar Lone, defended his actions, claiming that medical issues, specifically back pain, prevented him from standing. “I had no intention to insult the anthem,” Hilal stated. “As a legislator, I would never disrespect the anthem. I remained seated due to a valid medical reason.”
Intelligence sources reported that some attendees at the ceremony did not stand during the anthem. Hilal was one of the individuals observed remaining seated, prompting officials to review the event’s footage to verify the claims. The J&K Police, in a post on social media platform X, acknowledged the incident and confirmed that a preliminary inquiry had been launched under Section 173 (3) of the BNSS Act, with an officer of Superintendent rank overseeing the probe. Police are analyzing electronic evidence, including video recordings of the event, to determine the next legal steps.
Hilal Akbar Lone cited a Supreme Court ruling in his defense, claiming that remaining seated during the national anthem is not a crime as per a previous court observation. However, he did not provide details on the specific ruling or case to substantiate his statement.
This controversy follows a series of past incidents involving the Lone family. In a significant flashback, Hilal’s father, Akbar Lone, had sparked widespread outrage over a decade ago by raising pro-Pakistan slogans inside the J&K Assembly. At the time, Akbar was a minister in Omar Abdullah’s government. The incident resurfaced last year when the Centre’s lawyers referenced it during the Supreme Court’s hearings on the abrogation of Article 370, which revoked Jammu and Kashmir’s special status. Akbar Lone, a petitioner against the abrogation, was ordered by the court to submit an unconditional written apology for his past actions.
As the investigation proceeds, Hilal Lone continues to assert that his actions were misinterpreted and that his medical condition was the sole reason for his seated posture during the national anthem. The J&K administration is expected to announce further steps following the completion of the inquiry.
