National Anthem disrespected at Rahul Gandhi's US event venue; used as mic check before seated people (WATCH)

When the National Anthem is played, one stands up in respect and sings with pride. However, this was not the case at the community event that Congress leader Rahul Gandhi attended in San Francisco on May 30. 

A video, which has now gone immensely viral and is being shared by the members of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party, shows a group of kids singing the national anthem at the venue being stopped midway and being told that 'mic check' was complete. The crowd at the venue did not know that a mic check was being done. 

Well, while interrupting the national anthem while being sung is disrespectful, the fact that most of the audience was either seated or ambling across the venue while the national anthem was being sung, is shocking.

Later in the event, which was named 'Mohabbat ki Dukan' by the organizers, Rahul Gandhi went on a tirade against the Narendra Modi government over its alleged misuse of democratic institutions and targeting of Opposition parties and leaders.

The blame for this embarrassing and disrespectful behaviour squarely lies on the audience collected by the Indian Overseas Congress for the event. 

BJP leaders latched on to the video and termed it as chicanery.

"I don’t know of any Indian in the Bay Area, who wouldn't stand up for the National Anthem unless Rahul Gandhi is addressing Pakistanis and Bangladeshis in America, and passing them off as Indians. But then the Congress is capable of any chicanery. Empty hall is another story," said BJP leader Amit Malviya on Twitter, sharing the video.

Another leader who found the incident to be both shocking and shameful was Shehzad Poonawalla who said: "During the National anthem half of the people Rahul addressed later did not even bother to stand up. Later they paused the national anthem in the middle and said it was just 'Mic Check'. The onus is on Rahul Gandhi’s organising team to clarify if and why this disrespect was done? Who are the audiences who disrespect the National Anthem! No Indian would... is Anthem used for Rahul’s mic check?"

There were some who countered the BJP narrative and shared videos of the actual event where Rahul Gandhi is seen singing with the children along with other some other people. Even then, a few people could be spotted moving around while many in the audience were busy capturing videos.

Looks like Team Rahul needs to better manage these events, or risk ending up at the receiving end of controversies.