The Rajya Sabha on Wednesday passed the Prevention of Insults to National Honour (Amendment) Bill, 2026, extending statutory protection to the national song ‘Vande Mataram’ and making its deliberate insult or intentional obstruction during its rendition a punishable offence.
The Bill, passed after a heated debate and an Opposition walkout, places ‘Vande Mataram’ on par with the National Flag, the Constitution and the National Anthem (‘Jana Gana Mana’), which are already protected under the Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act, 1971.
Under the amended law, deliberately insulting the national song, intentionally preventing or obstructing its rendition, or committing any act considered contrary to its honour will attract imprisonment of up to three years, a fine, or both. As with offences relating to the National Anthem, repeat offenders will face a minimum imprisonment of one year.
The legislation comes as the country marks the 150th anniversary of the composition of ‘Vande Mataram’, with the government stating that the amendment is aimed at safeguarding a symbol that played a pivotal role in India’s freedom struggle and was accorded equal status with the National Anthem by the Constituent Assembly in 1950.
Replying to the debate, Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai said the amendment represented more than a legislative change and reflected the country’s collective commitment to India’s national consciousness, cultural heritage and the ideals of the freedom movement.
He recalled that the 1971 Act was enacted to protect the dignity of the National Flag, the Constitution and the National Anthem, adding that the amendment now extends the same legal protection to ‘Vande Mataram’.
Highlighting the song’s historical significance, Rai said it was composed by Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay in 1875 and later included in his novel Anandamath. He noted that Rabindranath Tagore sang the song at the 1896 session of the Indian National Congress, while Sarala Devi Chaudhurani rendered its full version in Varanasi in 1905.
The Minister also referred to Subhas Chandra Bose’s efforts to prepare a complete musical arrangement of the song in 1938, the broadcast of its full rendition on All India Radio on Independence Day in 1947 at the initiative of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, and Dr. Rajendra Prasad’s statement in the Constituent Assembly on January 24, 1950, recognising ‘Vande Mataram’ and ‘Jana Gana Mana’ with equal status.
Rai said the amendment aligns with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of ‘Ek Bharat, Shreshtha Bharat’, describing the legislation as a measure that transcends politics and seeks to reinforce respect for national symbols and strengthen national unity.
The amendment follows a recent directive issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) requiring states to play or sing ‘Vande Mataram’ at official functions, particularly those where the National Anthem is performed. The advisory states that when both are rendered, ‘Vande Mataram’ should precede the National Anthem and be sung or played while standing at attention.
With the passage of the Bill in the Rajya Sabha, the legal framework protecting India’s national symbols has been expanded to include the National Song, reflecting the government’s stated objective of preserving its dignity and historical significance. The legislation now awaits the remaining constitutional formalities before becoming law.
(With agency inputs)
