The Supreme Court of India on Wednesday refused to hear a petition against a government circular on singing Vande Mataram in schools and public places.

A bench led by Chief Justice Surya Kant said the plea was “premature” and based only on assumptions. The Court told the petitioner that there was no actual case of discrimination yet.

The judges made it clear that the circular is only advisory and not compulsory. “There is no force, no punishment, and no legal consequence,” the Court said.

Senior advocate Sanjay Hegde, appearing for the petitioner, argued that people should not be forced to show patriotism. He said some individuals may feel uncomfortable singing the national song due to their personal beliefs.

However, the Court noted that no one has been forced to sing Vande Mataram so far. It also pointed out that the circular uses the word “may”, which means people have a choice.

Justice Joymalya Bagchi said that people are free both to sing and not to sing the national song.

The Court added that if anyone faces real pressure or punishment in the future, they can approach the Court at that time.

Although Solicitor General Tushar Mehta was not officially appearing in the case, he questioned whether people even need to be told to respect the national song.

In the end, the Court refused to entertain the plea, saying it cannot act on mere fears without any real incident.