Vande Mataram gets legal shield
A Bill to criminalise intentional disruption or prevention of the singing of the national song, Vande Mataram, giving it the same legal protection currently accorded to the national anthem, was passed with a voice vote in the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday, amid the Opposition’s uproar over police action against students protesting NEET paper leak.
The Prevention of Insults to National Honour (Amendment) Bill, 2026 provides for a three-year imprisonment, fine, or both for anyone found guilty of intentionally preventing or causing a disturbance to any assembly engaged in singing the national song.
The existing law provided punishment for intentionally preventing the singing of the national anthem Jana Gana Mana or causing disturbance to any assembly engaged in singing it. However, the law did not accord the same protection for the national song. “Presently, there is no specific legal provision to prevent insults to the singing of Vande Mataram, which is honoured as the national song. Therefore, in order to prohibit any person from intentionally preventing the singing of the national song or causing disturbance to any assembly engaged in such singing, it is proposed to amend Section 3 of the said Act to include the national song also within its ambit, so as to make such acts punishable,” the Bill said.
The Opposition, led by the Congress, staged a walkout as Deputy Chairman Harivansh allowed the members to speak on the Bill after lunch, despite Opposition uproar and two back-to-back adjournments earlier in the day in the House. They were seeking a response from Union Minister of Home Affairs, Amit Shah over police action against those who had protested in the national Capital over NEET paper leak. When the Chair took up the discussion on the Bill in the post-lunch session, Opposition parties continued to protest.
In his reply to the bill, Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai said the Congress is trying to insult the country’s honour -- its national song Vande Mataram — by resorting to appeasement politics. He mentioned several instances where Vande Mataram was used as the last words by many freedom fighters while sacrificing their lives for the country.
“One cannot understand the Congress’ opposition to Vande Mataram... The country’s youth are watching and the people of the country will teach them a lesson,” Rai said. He said Vande Mataram is needed for the promise of Ek Bharat, Shreshta Bharat.
“The Vande Mataram bill is not merely an ordinary bill but represents India’s soul, national awareness and cultural heritage and reminds us of the freedom struggle,” Rai said.
Earlier this year, the Union Home Ministry directed that all six stanzas of Vande Mataram shall be sung first when the national song and the national anthem are played together.
In an order dated January 28, the home ministry gave the first set of protocols for singing the national song, directing that six stanzas of it, having a duration of 3 minutes and 10 seconds, shall be sung at official functions such as the arrival of the President, unfurling of the national flag, and speeches of governors.
