New Delhi, July 30 -- The Lok Sabha on Thursday passed the Prevention of Insults to National Honour (Amendment) Bill, 2026, commonly referred to as the Vande Mataram Bill, granting the national song the same legal protection as the National Anthem and the National Flag. Passed by voice vote amid continuous Opposition protests, the Bill now awaits the President's assent.
The House witnessed repeated disruptions as Opposition members demanded a discussion on the arrests made in connection with the alleged leak of the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET) question paper.
The amendment to the Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act, 1971 makes the deliberate insult of, or disruption during, the singing of Vande Mataram a punishable offence. With the amendment, the national song will enjoy the same legal protection as Jana Gana Mana and the National Flag.
Under the amended law, anyone found guilty of intentionally insulting, obstructing or disrupting the singing of Vande Mataram can face imprisonment of up to three years, a fine, or both. The Bill was introduced in the Rajya Sabha on July 24 and passed by the Upper House on July 29 before being taken up in the Lok Sabha. Piloting the Bill in the Lower House, Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityananda Rai said Vande Mataram had played a pivotal role in India's freedom struggle and deserved the same legal protection as other national symbols.
Rai said the song had inspired generations of freedom fighters and came to symbolise sacrifice, patriotism and national unity. He also accused previous Congress-led governments of pursuing a policy of appeasement and failing to accord the song its due recognition.
The minister maintained that the legislation was not intended to curb freedom of expression but to prevent deliberate acts of insult against a symbol associated with India's struggle for Independence.
Backing the Bill, BJP MP Sambit Patra described it as the correction of a historical anomaly. He argued that while the National Anthem and the National Flag already enjoy statutory protection, the National Song had remained outside the ambit of the law despite its significance in the freedom movement. Patra said the amendment seeks to accord Vande Mataram the legal status and dignity it has long deserved. Further, he stated that the respect for national symbols shouldn't be considered a political matter but responsibility that belongs to everyone. The Bill was vehemently opposed by several parties, including members of the DMK.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.