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Bill to criminalise insult to 'Vande Mataram' set for introduction in Rajya Sabha

Published on: 20 Jul 2026, 01:45 AM

The Union government is set to introduce a bill in the Rajya Sabha on Monday that would make insulting or obstructing the singing of the national song 'Vande Mataram' a criminal offence, placing it on par with the national anthem 'Jana Gana Mana'. The Prevention of Insults to National Honour (Amendment) Bill, 2026, listed for introduction in the Rajya Sabha, proposes to amend the 1971 Act that currently covers the national flag, the Constitution, and the national anthem.

The bill, to be introduced by Union Home Minister Amit Shah, seeks to substitute Section 3 of the existing Act to include 'Vande Mataram' within its ambit. The proposed punishment for intentional prevention of singing or causing disturbance to any assembly engaged in singing would be imprisonment for up to three years, a fine, or both.

The move has drawn criticism from the Communist Party of India (Marxist), with Rajya Sabha MP John Brittas urging withdrawal of the bill, warning it could disrupt constitutional balance based on pluralism and voluntary patriotism.

The bill's statement of objectives notes that there is no specific legal provision currently to prevent insults to the singing of 'Vande Mataram', and the amendment aims to fill this gap. It recalls that on January 24, 1950, Constituent Assembly President Dr. Rajendra Prasad stated that the song, composed by Bankim Chandra Chatterjee, should be honoured equally with the national anthem.

Last December, both Houses of Parliament held a special discussion to mark the 150th anniversary of the national song, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi initiating the debate in the Lok Sabha and Home Minister Shah in the Rajya Sabha. The debate saw sharp exchanges between the ruling BJP-led NDA and the opposition Congress, with Modi accusing the Congress of truncating the song to appease the Muslim League, while Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra countered by citing historical correspondence between Jawaharlal Nehru and Subhash Chandra Bose.

Source: Indian Express

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